Talking is overrated
by canny-bairn
Summary: In the aftermath of a difficult case, the BAU agents are forced to deal with what happened and have to figure out if they can all still work together as a team. Team fic with no pairings, let me know what you think! NOW COMPLETE!
1. Opportunities

_**Disclaimer – I'm a poor student therefore I own nothing!**_

_**Thanks to imnotjkr for beta-ing this first part a while ago now. Seeing as I'm now finished my exams (WOOOHOOO) I thought I'd post this. This is team centric and I think it happens in a year from season five's finale. I don't think there will be any pairings and seeing as I was kind of in a conflicty mood when I was writing I hope someone out there likes where I'm trying to go with this. Let me know what you think : ) **_

Opportunities

Strauss looked up at the man standing in front of her, his eyes scanning her office warily. She was tapping her pen on her desk in a fluid, repetitive movement. Leaning back in the high backed, black swivel chair, the ambitious Section Chief inhaled sharply before continuing with the reprimand. "In light of what happened, you should be grateful that I'm letting your team have this opportunity Agent Hotchner. If Doctor Lauder finds your team to be inoperable together there will be no second chances, am I understood agent?"

Solemnly he nodded, "Yes Chief Strauss"

"Dr Lauder has requested a one on one meeting with everyone during the week and at the end of the week there is going to be a group meeting. Everyone will attend both meetings. Failure to do so will mean instant transfer, no exception" She scowled meeting Hotch's eyes almost daring him to object.

Unfortunately for Strauss he didn't retaliate. He looked tired and solemn, needing to escape the situation he found himself captive in. "Yes ma'am"

"Brief your unit Hotchner and get me the final timetable of the meetings. I'll be keeping an eye on the goings on. I was worried keeping you on as Unit Chief after everything was going to be damaging to the progression of the BAU. I could have predicted that David Rossi coming back to the unit wasn't going to help matters but I wasn't expecting this." She looked down at the file in disgust. "You can leave now" She looked towards the door.

He bid her a fairly pleasant yet non heartfelt goodbye and shut the door behind him. Once he made it into the security of an empty elevator he closed his eyes and let out the air he had been holding as he wished that he was the leader of any other team at the present moment in time.

The team of jaded agents were waiting for their unit chief in the briefing room on the sixth floor, where the BAU office was located. The briefing room was uncharacteristically silent. Eye contact was brief and all of his colleagues looked worn and tired. Hotch determinedly strode up to the informally called round table room, whilst scanning its occupants. He saw Garcia helping JJ make some coffee as her right arm was still in a sling. Morgan lay on the couch in the corner of the room with his injured leg raised on top of some fluffy pink pillows, deducing Garcia had yet again been fussing, the Chicago born agent was reading a case file blissfully ignorant of the others in the room. Rossi was seated at the table, stabbing a file with his pen whilst keeping a space the size of the Grand Canyon between him and Prentiss who was still sporting a faded black eye and entwining her fingers nervously, while Reid was sat on the other side of his brunette colleague, his darkened baggy eyes contrasting against his pale, skeleton like face implying he hadn't slept for some time.

Hotch cleared his throat making sure that all of his teammates were focused on him. Rather stoically he stepped towards the TV screen being aware of how all eyes followed his movements. "Strauss has ordered mandatory psych evals for us all, including a group evaluation at the end of the week. Everyone will attend. If you don't you will automatically be transferred"

There were insignificant sounds of displeasure from all of his subordinates, but Rossi was the only one to say something, "Let me talk to her, I'll be able to change her mind"

"I think you've done enough talking Agent Rossi" Hotch sternly cut him off gracing him with a notorious Hotchner glare.

"Garcia, you and I are going to talk to Dr Lauder tomorrow, JJ, you and Morgan will go the next day. The rest of you will go Thursday and everyone will meet at Lauder's office on Friday. Am I understood?"

There were a collection of 'yes sirs' before Hotch nodded. "I'll email everyone with their times later. Please go home and get some rest."

They all watched as he swiftly left the room heading towards his office where he had barricaded himself in since they got back. As they all met each other's eyes there was an air of uncomfortableness hanging heavily in the room. Rossi was the first to leave the room quickly followed by Reid who was avoiding the watchful gaze of everyone in the room. Prentiss attempted to help Morgan up off of the couch but he shrugged her off when Garcia came to his side instead, the red head warmly told Prentiss she'd help him and she should get herself home. As the disappointed brunette turned, she caught JJ's eyes, no words were exchanged, instead JJ simply put her coffee mug down and concentrated feebly with one free hand, on clearing away the mess that was left on the table.

Hotch watched as his colleagues left one by one through his office blinds that overlooked the bullpen. Looking down at the paper work that was accumulating on his desk his attention briefly turned to the computer to email Lauder's office for everyone's appointment times. He wasn't looking forward to the rest of the week. He was angry, frustrated and confused. He thought he knew and trusted his team. Evidently he didn't. Suddenly his uncomfortable musings were interrupted by a familiar knock at the door. He glanced towards the opening door tiredly as JJ entered looking somewhat serine, considering what she had been through.

JJ stopped at the side table under the window, noting how drained and odd Hotch looked. Normally he came across as strong and in control but now even his usually fitting suit looked as though it smothered the man who was sitting behind the Unit Chief's desk. "I'm off home, do you need anything before I go?"

Granting his communication coordinator a slim smile, he shook his head, "No thank you JJ, I'm fine. Are you going to be alright getting home?"

The blonde looked down to her arm wincing in pain before addressing his question. "Gina is going to drive me"

"Okay then, I'll see you Friday" She nodded offering him a professional but sad smile.

As JJ left him to his own mind again, rather apprehensively troubled thoughts drifted to the case files in front of him. All the documents related to their last case, yet the most captivating folders were in a neat pile to the side of his desk. Seven different perspectives on one horrendous mess. Strauss had sternly spoken about granting his team a possibility to show that they could still perform successfully together. Looking down at the photo of their last victim smiling innocently at the camera, his thoughts came to an alternative conclusion.

They shouldn't be allowed the opportunity.


	2. The beginning

_**Disclaimer can be found in chapter one :)**_

_**Hi to everyone who has taken the time to read you're all awesome. I realised that it has been a little time since I first posted so this is unbeta'd just so you guys have this chapter, blame the youngsters that gave me the flu!**_

_**Let me know what you think **_

...

**Name: **Garcia, Penelope

**FBI Status: **Senior Technical Analyst

**Age: **33

**FBI Work Experience: **BAU Technical Analyst, Quantico Field Office (2004 – present)

The tick of the clock echoed through the silent room as Dr Lauder shifted his gaze from the file up to the eccentrically dressed technical analyst, her widened eyes behind the neon pink glasses darted around the room nervously; trying her best not to meet the Doctors bright green eyes that she knew was staring at her.

"Can I get you some water or something else to drink Miss Garcia?" Garcia's eyes froze upon the shrink's warm smile. Lauder had a thick Texan accent and did not necessarily look like the usual FBI shrinks she had the fortune of meeting before. He was a short white man, with long, tied-back, black hair and a pierced right ear. He wore tight black jeans and an overly large white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and canvas shoes, which made him, look as though he could have been a carefree hippie but the wall behind him pasted with his academic achievements in Psychology reinstated his true occupation.

"Erm, no, no thank you" The red head mumbled coming out of her daze on the man in front of her.

"Are you sure, you look like you might need it?"

The genuine concern in his voice made Garcia chuckle as she responded, shifting in her chair to try and get a bit more comfortable. "I'm okay thank you sir"

"Please Lauder is fine, may I call you Penelope?"

She nodded but tilted her head as she spoke quietly allowing the trained psychologist to hear her nerves "Sure bit I think I'd prefer if you called me Garcia"

"Okay Garcia. Looking at your file you certainly are an anomaly."

The red head's grin widened with mischief. "In what way exactly?"

"Well technically you should be in jail, instead you're working for an elite unit in the FBI" Lauder gave a throaty chuckle as Garcia nodded. "That's true indeed and I'm most definitely happy with that, I love my job"

"You do? You stare at a computer screen with horrid images all day and listen as your team faces despicable killers"

"That's just the bad parts. There are lots of good points to my job" Garcia shrugged, feeling a bit more at ease with sitting opposite the man that was sent to evaluate _her_ team.

"Like what?"

"Well, I love computers and other technology so it's a plus. I love helping people and I love working with my team."

The Texan raised his eyes in doubt. "Even after everything that has happened?"

"Yes" She became almost rigid as she gave her answer and broke the eye contact that had been prevalent. Lauder shifted in his seat deciding to take a different approach. "I like your broach, it is certainly unusual"

"I like the unusual" Garcia almost beamed towards him moving the broach slightly as she looked downwards.

"I can see that." He looked back down at the Golden flamingo on her pink rhinestone poncho, silently congratulating himself for making her smile again. "Garcia, it's not my aim to break up your team, I want to help but in order for me to actually help I need all of you to cooperate, do you understand?"

"I understand that... I just wish we didn't have to do this" Garcia's voice seemed small, in fact her whole demeanour was contrary to the analyst's usual vivacious self.

The appointed psychologist gave a slim smile tilting his head as their eyes met once more. "I know and I'll promise I'll try and make this as easy as possible. Why don't we ease you into this? Let's start with what happened the day you got briefed about the case. Can you run me through that particular morning events?"

Garcia nodded closing her eyes briefly, the knots in her stomach churning as she remembered that particular Wednesday morning and while it seemed that day was months ago it only happened last week and the events that occurred after that day made her nerves worsen.

****

_Hotch indicated to JJ as she stood to start the briefing, placing a lock of her fallen hair behind her ear, the liaison took a breath before clicking the remote, revealing a blonde woman smiling happily towards the camera. "Livingston, Illinois is a very small town, it's practically a street on the border of Indiana. Just outside the town's cemetery in tall grass, the body of this woman, Sasha Brunty, 23, was found three days ago. She was sliced, beaten, raped and the back of her head was then bashed in post mortem, caused by severe repetitive contact with a solid object, like a cement or wooden floor"_

_JJ clicked the remote again, changing the picture of Ms Brunty in the park to her disfigured figure at the crime scene in the grass. "Eww, Jaje a little warning!" Garcia's head turned away from the screen suddenly, flicking her hair into Reid's face accidently._

"_I suppose there's more?" Morgan looked towards the media liaison his tone almost daring._

"_Last month across the border in Indiana, Terre Haute Police department found the body of twenty year old Gail Beck in a dumpster behind a disbanded factory on the outskirts of Terre Haute. Miss Beck suffered the same injuries as Sasha Brunty, it's thought by the detective in charge... a Detective Blanchet, that Gail Beck was the first victim. Two weeks ago, the body of Michelle Granger, 26, was found at the side of a dirt road in Sandford, Indiana, with exactly the same injuries as the two other victims" There was now the three profile pictures of the three victims side by side on the screen, one women killed, every two weeks for the last six weeks. They all had similar features; all were blonde, fairly plain and around their early to mid twenties._

"_Sanford and Livingston are about equal distance from Terre Haute, if Beck's was the first victim he could have killed close to home then started to spread the dump sites across the states border to try and mask a pattern" Reid mused while squinting towards the map on the board at the front of the room._

"_How long were they missing before they were found?" Rossi asked JJ while scanning the folder in front of him._

"_Sasha and Michelle were both reported missing four days before they were found. Gail was a student at Indiana State in Terre Haute, her parents thought she was in residence. It wasn't unusual not to hear from her, and although her college friends thought she was visiting her parents after eleven days and no contact with anyone, her roommate called Gail's mom, who called the police, it was another week before she was found behind the factory. The coroner estimated she had been dead at least fourteen days before her body was found."_

_JJ looked back to Rossi who nodded, mumbling quietly to the rest of the table. "So if he keeps them it's no longer than a few days before he kills"_

"_These injuries appear to be very personal and very sadistic. However the precise knife cuts on the victim's torso and legs as well as the repetitive rape doesn't necessarily match the rage of the smashed head and the brutality of the beating" Prentiss shook her head at the differences, addressing the issue to the rest of the profilers._

_Morgan was the first to respond. "He ran out of patience maybe? The victim's all match a type; young, pretty and blonde. They most likely remind him of someone significant and after releasing his sexual frustration it turns to rage?"_

"_There's probably more victim's, Garcia..." Hotch turned to the technical analyst who was out of her chair already heading towards the exit. "I'm on it boss-man"_

"_Everyone else wheels up in twenty, we'll continue the profile on the plane" The team dispersed only to be reunited twenty five minutes later, all huddled around the laptop on the private jet that shuttles them around from one nightmare to the next. _

_Hotch was the one who re-started the profiling as they settled. "The UNSUB is obviously male, he's white and is most likely thirty to forty years old based on his choice of victims. He must have his own vehicle to transport the victim's and probably has a flexible job that allows him enough time to find and most likely stalk the women"_

_JJ interrupted to try and add to the conversation before it went further. "His job might rely on the vehicle giving him the chance to travel the area. Miss Beck was at Indiana State close enough to the dump site but Sasha Brunty was from Edwardsville outside of St Louis, 130 miles away from Livingston, working in a local supermarket. Michelle Granger lived in Bloomington, Indiana, over seventy miles away, taking care of her elderly grandmother. He had to have brought his victim's to this particular twenty mile zone for a reason?"_

"_It's probably where his stressor occurred. He's most likely from the area, like Reid said, Terre Haute may end up being his safe zone" Prentiss turned Reid who was sitting beside her, sitting forward unnecessarily close to the laptop's screen when addressing Garcia sitting in her lair."Do we have any idea when Gail Beck actually went missing yet?"_

"_Sorry Mon Cher, the best I can do for you is narrow it down to the two weeks the coroner estimated. There was no credit card uses or outgoing calls on her cell in those two weeks."_

_There was a brief silence as each member of the team realised they hadn't nearly enough information yet to create a concrete profile to give to the locals. Hotch was the first to break the silence looking towards each person he named. "I want us to hit the ground running. Rossi and Reid why don't you head to the coroner's see what he can give us on all of the victim's injuries and the UNSUB's signature. Morgan, Prentiss meet Detective Blanchet in Terre Haute and run through the three crime scenes. JJ, you and I will set up the field office and meet with the families, we'll see if we can figure out how he finds and abduct his victims. Garcia I need you to keep digging on the victim's list if we find the others we might be able to find the guy before he strikes again. Also see if the victim's have anything in common. We can see the physical resemblance and the geographical similarities of the dump sites, but other than that the three women had totally different lifestyles we need a common factor."_

_Garcia nodded smirking towards the semi-circle of agents staring at her on the plane. "Anything for you my liege. Stay safe my lovelies, Garcia out" _

****

"So after Agent Hotchner paired everyone off and gave out the orders, what did you do?" Lauder's thick Texan accent droned the red head out her memories.

"I started the computer searches and I made a coffee for myself" Garcia nodded at her answer, trying to remain professional. The psychologist smirked at her formal approach but wanted to delve in to her emotional state. "Do you get lonely when the team is away on a case?"

"Sometimes, especially after hanging up the phone and I worry, obviously. But it's not as though the entire office is empty, and you can ask anyone I'm the social belle of the BAU. I like to think of myself as the resident Cinderella, locked away working hard then being let out with my pumpkin and mice to paint the town red... no scratch that, I'm more like the fairy godmother that makes sure that my little Cinderella's all make it to the ball after a nasty murder case."

Lauder chuckled at her embellishments before turning serious again. "I wouldn't doubt you...Did you worry on this particular case?"

She inhaled sharply at the sudden change in the mood of the room before nodding determinedly. "Every second... even more so when I got the phone call"

"Not a great conversation I would imagine?" Lauder offered Garcia's sad smile a half smile of his own.

She shrugged while trying to control the quiver rising in her throat. "No it wasn't, I expect all sorts of phone calls but I wasn't ready for that one"

...

_**So a few things, psychological profiling is not my strong suit so apologies if it seems a little off. This will be the format through most of the fic and Garcia was the first to talk to the dude, because I needed the others for later and she's very difficult to write. Hope you all still liked it, let me know what you think? **_

_**SHOUT OUTS (Woo!) thanks for reviewing– Flashpenguin, deeda (A new jotch fic should be up soonish!), CM-Fann, EmmaBerlin, bingo, Midnightcoffee2000 and CRIMINAL-MINDZ-FANZ and hi to everyone who has alerted! **_


	3. Day 2

_**Disclaimer, disclaimed!**_

_**I thought I'd post another chapter today seeing as I've just found out that I've passed my first year of uni woo. Hope people are still enjoying the story, again I've taken writer's privilege for the timeline, let me know what you think!**_

**Name**: Hotchner, Aaron

**FBI Status**: Special Agent in Charge; Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 45

**FBI Work Experience**: BAU profiler Quantico Field office (1995-2002\2004-present)/ SAC Seattle Field office (2002-2004)/FBI: SWAT Quantico Field Office (1994-1995)/ HRT DC Field office (1994)

...

Lauder squirmed in his chair under the threatening gaze of Aaron Hotchner. The psychologist tried to focus on the file in front of him but the low dissatisfied growl escaping from the unit chiefs lips made him shift again forcing him to look up at the dark suited man. "You've had quite a career in the bureau Agent Hotchner, weren't you a lawyer too?"

"Yes" Hotch's tone was flat and dry matching his worn out appearance.

"How long for?" The Texan tried to match the unit chief's glare rather unsuccessfully.

"I was a federal prosecutor for four years with the DA's office before that I worked at Hewitt & White Law Firm for a year after college."

"Do you regret joining the bureau?" Lauder cleared his throat upon seeing Hotch's eyebrow raise. "Excuse me?"

The doctor looked down at the file, the name Hailey Brookes, Hotch's deceased ex wife, standing out from the numerous shoot outs, explosions and other dangerous team situations. "It's caused you a lot over the years"

"It has" Hotch nodded sombrely gaining him a sigh from the now impatient federal psychologist. "Agent Hotchner I have a job to do here"

Hotch nodded trying his best not to smirk at the apparent uncomfortable-ness of the psychologist. "I understand that"

The Texan scoffed at the neutrality of Hotch's expression. "So I'm going to need a bit more development on the answers front here and there"

"Okay" He replied rather stoic as Lauder rolled his eyes before continuing to speak. "Okay... so tell me what happened when you got to Livingston?"

_One of the cops in the small crowd, which surrounded the five profilers, asked his question with weariness. _"_So you're saying this guy might have a mental disorder?"_

"_A personality disorder, exactly. The shift in injuries, intimate to rage, is almost as though it's two different personalities. If he is not diagnosed with a mental disorder the UNSUB definitely has a life where he feels trapped and contained, these abductions and killings relieve his frustrations." Reid spoke quickly looking at his colleagues for reassurance when he finished speaking but was suddenly distracted by JJ as she walked into the bullpen confidently, interrupting them mid profile. _

"_Hotch" JJ spoke directly to the unit chief, ignoring the rest of the room's focus on her._

"_Yeah JJ?"_

"_You should come. Garcia's found something" JJ turned on her heels, leading her colleagues into the small room where they had been working nonstop for the last two days._

_The team plus the lead detective stood around the screen facing Garcia who was sitting at her usual spot behind her desk in Quantico. "Who do you love?"_

"_Baby girl, I wouldn't do this right now" Morgan placed his hand on his head, shaking his head warningly._

_The red head smirked at their tired faces "Oh my little bunnies looked stressed?"_

_Hotch cut her off sternly. "Garcia"_

"_Right, sorry Hotch." She turned to frantically typing her keyboard splitting the screen they were all watching. " So I had to dig deep for this and when I say deep I don't mean like the bottom of my handbag deep, I mean like Grand Canyon deep. Ten years ago the fine police department there in Terre Haute received an anonymous phone call to an apartment block where they found the body of one Violet Marsden aged 22. She was a florist from the Harrison Township of Terre Haute but lived in an apartment block that seven years ago was bought by a textile company who turned the building into a factory which is now closed. One of the more perceptive of you might ask where Gail Beck's body was found. And yes you'll be right..."_

_Detective Blanchet spoke the words the rest of the room was thinking. "Behind the former home of Violet Marsden?"_

"_Ding ding ding. After two days of searching, the name Violet Marsden came up hidden behind the few other West Indiana homicide cases. She was engaged to this guy called Evan Parker who lived with her, they were a nice normal couple, blah-blah, until one day he snapped with no explanation. The sick SOB grabbed her ribbon cutting scissors and proceeded to stab her stomach methodically after finding out she was, you guessed it, pregnant with his child."_

"_Oh god" JJ and Prentiss simultaneously gasped._

"_Oh it gets worse peaches. When she bled out, he took her head and whacked it off the floor several times until this happened" The screen changed to a picture of the victim with an almost flat head. "I'm going to need serious Disney film therapy after this case"_

_Hotch ignored her little quip wanting further information."Garcia where is Evan Parker now?"_

"_I've sent his address, his parole officer's and doctor's name and addresses to your cells" Garcia beamed at her colleagues watching as Hotch barked orders and as they disappeared one by one, Morgan being the last to leave the room. _

"_You're the best red" He smiled widely at her triumphant grin. "You got that right, handsome"_

_Four hours later and Evan Parker was sitting in the interrogation room with Reid and Prentiss but was also being watched by Rossi, Hotch and Morgan behind the glass mirror. They had been informed that Parker was diagnosed as a schizophrenic five years ago and transferred to a psychiatric ward where, after spending another four and a half years there, was released to be rehabilitated into the community. Rossi and Hotch got a confession to Gail Beck's murder in a matter of minutes but he refused to confess to Sasha Brunty and Michelle Granger's deaths. So for the last half an hour, Reid and Prentiss tried to talk to the still coherent suspect._

_JJ joined her male colleagues with a grim expression covering her usually soft features. "The forensic guys found another body in the factory's basement that matches the UNSUB's M.O but she's been dead as long as Violet Marsden"_

_Morgan shook his head. "How did they miss that ten years ago?"_

"_They weren't looking for a serial killer then Morgan"_

_Hotch nodded at JJ's assessment. "JJ's right, Marsden was his first kill, it was the beginning of his spree but his ten year jail term got in the way."_

"_Are they getting anywhere with him?" JJ indicated to the interrogation room where Reid sat whispering to the suspect._

"_Reid seems to be forming a bond, give him some more time. Dave, why don't you see if the coroner department has got an ID on the latest victim? I'm waiting for the DA to get back to me, Morgan go to the factory again, and see if this changes anything. Take JJ with you" Hotch gave a nod to his two reluctant colleagues, knowing they'd been a little icy towards each other since the briefing two days ago._

Lauder leaned back in his leather chair, steeping his fingers in curiosity. "So you sent Jareau and Morgan to the last crime scene?"

"I had no reason to believe it would be dangerous" Hotch added sincerely.

"Do you often pair off Agents Morgan and Jareau?"

The agent shook his head not knowing where the FBI 'Shrink' wanted to go with this line of questioning. "No, not often"

"Why?"

Hotch gave a slim smile before he continued. "Mostly for Morgan's safety, he has a tendency to get under JJ's skin"

"But still you sent them off together?"

Before he spoke Hotch knew he was going to regret his next words. "Yes, JJ's a professional"

Lauder's eyes rose at the profiler's answer. "Derek Morgan's not?"

"Morgan is very professional" The unit chief purposely leaving out the 'if he wants to be' part.

"But you consider JJ to be more professional?"

It was a leading question and the experienced profiler knew it. "You need to understand their dynamic"

"They're opposites?" The Texan asked as dryly as Hotch responded. "No"

"Ahh, they're too much alike..."

"But they don't exactly see it that way" The profiler rolled his eyes, while JJ's trust issues weren't as deep as Morgan's he knew JJ was extremely careful about who she did trust and while Morgan and JJ's upbringings were definatly different, the two agent's coping strategies were the most similar of anyone else on the team.

"Do you still consider Agent Jareau to have been professional even after last week's events? You didn't reprimand her like you did to some of the others." Hotch paused after Lauder's question. He had a different relationship with each of his colleagues but he knew that with JJ, their relationship was always going to be unlike the others. They respected each other from the beginning, it was easy to communicate with the blonde and they had many common grounds plus she isn't a profiler, not that she couldn't be one, but when she shows concern he knows it isn't because she profiled it out of him, it's just who she is.

"JJ knew she wasn't composed but she acted like how anyone else would in those circumstances. Her emotions got the best of her but out of everyone on the team she has that right."

There was another beat of silence before Lauder suggested something Hotch knew was coming. "Because she's a parent, like you?"

"No, because Agent Jareau is under extreme pressure, more so than anyone else. More lives depend on her and the team would not function properly without her. Her actions weren't irrational, after everything she had gone through in those few hours... I would have done the same thing" Hotch met the psychologists gaze, while Hotch was a professional he was well aware of his own past and how he had dealt with certain situations in the rarity when his emotions got the best of him.

_**Rant time – So I've just heard the news about AJ and Paget's roles on the show and started to write more of this fic because with JJ being my favourite character I'm seriously in a mood and a conflicty fanfic is great therapy. WTH is CBS thinking? UGH! Hopefully someone decides to keep AJ and Paget full time but it looks unlikely... only positive are fanfics with JJ leaving and someone on the team bringing her back (as I'm a Jotch fan you can guess who' be my ideal ;) ) Loosing JJ and seeing less of Prentiss can only mean bad things for the show... okay way to passionate about a TV show but right now it's the only thing I watch on TV!**_

_**Anyhoo shout outs go to**_ - _**SipiiW, CM-Fan, EmmaBerlin and PassionsInsanity... Thanks for reviewing!**_


	4. The factory

**Disclaimer blah blah usual blah! **

**Hi to everyone who is reading, you guys are awesome. Hope you enjoy the next part, it kind of pushes the story along and let me know what you think it helps to boost my confidence and gets me motivated, it sounds like I'm going to burst into a positive song, woo, I'm going around the bend! **

**I'm still annoyed with CBS for not renewing AJ's contract and I think it's because they're just going to replace her with someone else it all seems very unfair. Hopefully we get two really good JJ episodes when the show returns yet based on the last time we were told we were getting great JJ insight it sort of became about someone else, so I'm not trying to set the bar too high. At least we shall always have Fanfiction : ) **

**...**

**Name**: Jareau, Jennifer

**FBI Status**: Communication Coordinator; Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 33

**FBI Work Experience**: Communication Coordinator for the BAU Quantico Field Office (2004-present)/ Communication Coordinator for Counterterrorism Division New York Field Office (2002-2004)/JTTF Communication Coordinator (2001-2002)

...

JJ watched as the FBI issued psychologist flicked through her personnel file intently reading one particular page. "Seven years liaising for the same unit, that's rather unusual isn't it for the communications department? To keep one liaison with one unit for so long? Don't you get bored?"

JJ shook her head trying to remain professional with her back straight in the chair; she purposively kept her left hand on her lap to not seem defensive and forced her face to remain neutral before she spoke. "It's not as if the BAU has repetitive days"

"I guess not" Lauder grinned back at JJ's deceivingly pleasant smile. "How's your arm?"

They both looked towards her supported right arm in a blue sling. "It twinges every now and again but it feels a lot better, thank you"

"How did you manage to dislocate and break it?"

"I'm sure it tells you in that file right there on your lap" JJ smiled sweetly again as Lauder chuckled through his response. "I'm sure it does"

"_What's the matter with you Derek?" Morgan sighed again, they were detoured to speak to Violet Marsden's former colleague before heading to the factory and since they left the florist's the Chicago born agent had done nothing but make frustrated noises._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_You've been huffing and sighing around me for weeks, what's wrong?"_

_Morgan rolled his eyes, JJ might not be a profiler but she's been around them for long enough to instantly know when something is wrong. "It's nothing JJ"_

"_Right" JJ's eyes widened in disbelief._

_There was a long stretch of silence as the profiler concentrated on his driving before turning his head briefly to see JJ staring straight back at him, waiting for him to react. "We've been away on three cases this month right? You've given me dozens of case files too? Nearly all of them have involved kids or young women"_

"_And your point is?" JJ's eyes squinted in confusion._

_He took a breath, fully conscious that his next few words wouldn't be welcomed warmly. "I think since you've had Henry your judgment has been clouded. I don't see why you aren't trying to spend more time with your own kid rather than trying to save everyone else's."_

"_Wow! Don't hold back Morgan" JJ rolled her eyes. They had this conversation a few times but this was the first time he'd said something without an audience._

"_Girl, I'm just saying that..."_

_The media liaison interrupted him mid sentence not necessarily wanting an explanation. "Morgan, how I parent is my business and these are the cases I'm being presented with so I'm sorry if they're not meeting your standard..."_

_Morgan scoffed shaking his head in disbelief. "My standard?"_

"_We're here" JJ turned her head to look out of the side passenger's window but the driver failed to comprehend her short statement. "What?"_

"_We're here so are you going to park up or can you at least slow down to let me out?" The blonde quipped sarcastically. _

_Getting out of the car together, they walked in silence under the crime tape, there were no cops guarding the scene as the two agents turned to each other in concern, both of their hands finding their gun holsters instantaneously. Side by side they walked up the flight of stairs and into the trashed main room. It was large and full of industrial debris creating plenty of blind spots, so as they moved a wider gap formed between them._

_JJ's heartbeat began to quicken as the familiar feeling seeped through her body. Something was off. Turning towards Morgan, things almost stilled although everything happened so fast. The scene in front of her felt like it happened in slow motion as she watched her colleague being tackled to the ground. A well built, white man was struggling with the titled defence trainer on the ground. The blonde berated herself mentally as she didn't have a clear shot but Derek Morgan was suffering. Needing to do something when the assailant climbed on top of her barely conscious friend, she tried to grab the violent stranger but was defeated easily._

_The man barely turned for a moment pushing JJ back with force. As she landed her gun skidded across the floor before she heard rather than felt the crack run through her right arm as she slammed against the floor. Trying to hold herself up, she watched as Morgan was practically thrown through a fake partition wall, half of the ceiling falling down onto his lower body as he cried out in pain but managed to moan through gritted teeth. "You bastard"_

_Morgan unsuccessfully tried to get up as the man just laughed at him and turned to JJ who was looking for her weapon. _

"_JJ!" Morgan faintly called out but it was too late. The assailant had hold of her hair dragging her to the ground beneath him. Morgan was helpless, his legs were trapped and he was forced to watch as the SOB who had injured him, tortured JJ with his meaningful threats._

"_So pretty, you are definitely our type" He rubbed his hand down her side lifting her top up slightly. "Just imagine the fun we could have"_

_As he bit down on her ear, JJ couldn't take it anymore, the thought of him on top of her, controlling her, made the Pennsylvanian's skin crawl. With all the force she had, she caught him off guard and kneed him in the groin, giving her some room to move her arms and plant her elbow in side of his face with force to try and get him off her legs. Feeling the weight lighten somewhat she wriggled towards her gun._

"_You bitch" he hissed wiping the blood from his mouth as inched closer to the gun._

"_JJ... he's..." Morgan breathlessly called out watching as the suspect reached for her ankles pulling the petite blonde away from the gun but as she fell hard towards the ground again, her fingers loosely clasped the gun's handle. _

_Kicking back she hit him square in the face, quickly JJ turned, taking the safety off the gun and pointing it directly to the stranger's head. "Don't move" She hissed harshly as the barrel of the weapon was inches from the attacker's forehead._

_He snorted vilely. "You're not going to shoot me pretty thing"_

"_Get on the ground, hand's on the back of your head" JJ ordered professionally while she tried to catch her breath._

"_Ooh so tough, we love it when they fight back" Morgan watched as the attacker blindly grabbed a metal pole lying close to him on the trashed ground but instead of hesitating, his female colleague fired one shot. The man fell to the ground with a thump, with a small hole that oozed blood from the centre of his forehead. _

"_You okay?" Morgan practically yelled through the throbbing ache as JJ stared at the lifeless body on the ground, the deceased blood stained her shirt and face._

_Coughing JJ nodded while getting off the floor to go to her trapped friend's side. "Yeah I'm fine, how's your legs? Can you still feel them?" _

"_They're definitely still there, are you sure you're okay?" He winced trying to free himself from the debris as JJ moved some of the wood and cement and got her blackberry out._

"_My phones broke, where's your cell?" JJ coughed again and ignored his concern instead she moved behind the taller and heavier agent, seeing if she could pull him out, but it was useless, he was too heavy and her right arm was throbbing._

"_Check to see if he has one" Morgan spoke through gritted teeth the adrenaline obviously wearing off as he indicated to the dead body, his eyes closing as the pain increased._

"_Great_ _I have to touch the dead..." JJ suddenly stopped mid sentence as another figure entered the room behind her, hitting the back of her head with the same metal pole the previous assailant once held. _

"_JJ!" Morgan yelled watching as JJ hit the ground once more only this time he knew exactly who the attacker was. _

"_Fran, Francis!" The dangerous arrival towered over the first UNSUB's body. _

_The trained profiler could see the agitation in the UNSUB's eyes and knew he had to do something before he lashed out and killed them both. "It's Evan right?"_

"_YOU KILLED HIM!" The man turned towards Morgan who became increasingly confused and worried not just for his and JJ's safety but for the rest of the team. Less than an hour ago the man yelling at him was in custody, confessing to a murder, now he had hold of a weapon and the rest of his team were nowhere to be seen. That's when the Chicago born agent turned to the lifeless figure on the floor beside the deceased man and realised JJ wasn't moving from where she fell._

"_Evan Parker, you need to listen to me!"_

"_Shut up, SHUT UP! He can't be dead. Fran they're after us, wake up" His words made no sense as he shook the limp body of his associate, Francis. Seeing Francis was motionless, Parker dropped his friend before crawling over to JJ. "She should have stopped, she knew not too"_

"_PARKER DON'T!" Morgan yelled as he turned and lifted JJ's lithe frame, slamming her whole body hard onto the concrete floor. _

_JJ woke with the painful contact seeing Evan Parker's inert eyes staring at her with disgust as he lifted her body again. As the terror poured though her, JJ searched for her gun but it seemed out of reach._

"_Parker stop" She pleaded with him as he continued to lift and slam her body before he moved his hands to her neck. Seeing the crime scene images of Violet Marsden's fragmented head flash through her mind, she began to struggle back until two gunshots rang out and echoed around the large room._

Lauder scrubbed his face as he watched the liaison's eyes distance. "Do you think you're unappreciated by your team Agent Jareau?"

"Why would you say that?" JJ's face became neutral once more as her spine stiffened.

"You're very confident in yourself, poised and collected, yet in your written account you've downplayed your actions and diverted all praise to your colleague who sat and watched events unfold. For someone in the spotlight so much, you certainly don't like attention."

JJ smiled softly at his analysis. "It wasn't as though Morgan could move and I was just doing my job"

"And you did your job very well but do you think Agent Morgan and the rest of the team appreciates your position in the unit?" He could see he was making her uncomfortable when talking about her team and their opinions of her.

"I'm sure they do but I mean the team... Morgan and I have never really spoken about it, we don't need too."

Lauder nodded coyly. "But do you think Agent Morgan appreciates you?"

"I have no idea but I'm not doing this job for appreciation" JJ stiffened again trying to keep her media liaison face on.

The Texan smirked, tilting his head as he spoke to try and generate a reaction. "Of course you're not you're far to humble"

JJ shook her head immediately not agreeing with his conclusion of her. "I wouldn't say humble more like realistic"

"Were you being realistic when Francis Dissinger lunged for you?"

JJ scoffed softly. "I couldn't just give up. I'm not defenceless or useless"

There was a brief pause as she tried to recover from her determined and unprepared words. "No one said you were defenceless or useless Jennifer... Is that how you feel? Useless?"

"I'm not useless. I'm not the team's wallpaper. I'm a trained FBI agent and just because I'm not a profiler and just because I'm a mom, it doesn't mean I can't handle myself or I'm suddenly not going to be objective" JJ took her eyes off the psychologist and rested them on the plaques behind his head, she didn't want him to read into her words but then mocked herself silently knowing that it was his job to read into her words.

Immediately Lauder knew there was more to JJ's opinions of herself and her team. "Team's wallpaper? So you do feel unappreciated?"

There was another stretch of silence as JJ tried to think of the correct response but nothing came instead she shook her head and spoke the truth. "No, I just feel like they just often have this profiler mentality. They don't get how we non profilers can look at things differently...Morgan more so sometimes"

...

_**Shout out's... wooo! - HI to flashpenguin, CM-Fan, Stefi, EmmaBerlin, b-mystique, midnightcoffee2000 and DR NickiReid– Thanks for all your positive reviews they really encourage me to write more. **_


	5. What happened after the gunshots?

**Disclaimed!**

**Hi to everyone reading, reviewing and alerting it's great to see such a response. I honestly had no idea if people were going to like the concept but hopefully this chapter lives up to expectations. Let me know what you think!**

**...**

**Name**: Morgan, Derek

**FBI Status**: Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 38

**FBI Work Experience**: BAU profiler Quantico Field Office (2003-present)/ FBI Bomb Squad Quantico Field Office (2000-2003)/Undercover work (2001-2003)

...

"It must have been hard not being able to move and having to watch Agent Jareau deal with two armed male suspects, one of which you thought was in custody?" Dr Lauder watched the agitated profiler rubbing his pot that enclosed his broken leg.

"Of course it was. I should have been able to do more" Morgan spoke professionally matching the psychologists gaze.

"Did it frustrate you that Agent Jareau was the one to protect you?"

There was a beat of silence before Morgan exhaled sharply, closing his eyes briefly before he spoke. "Frustrate me?"

"I've read both of your reports and I spoke to Agent Jareau this morning. She indicated that you two don't always see eye to eye. Also looking at your file you don't take kindly to being on the receiving end of a tackle" The Texan smirked at the agent's shrug.

"Who does?" Morgan crossed his arms defensively whilst tying to control his emotions.

"I don't mean to offend you Agent..."

Morgan scoffed harshly. "You didn't offend me I just... it was difficult to watch JJ take down those two guys singlehandedly but she was in control of the situation."

"She was in control but did you trust her?" Lauder asked amused with Morgan's shell shocked expression.

"I..." Morgan became blank as the psychologist stared at him in concern; both became silent as Morgan answered the question without actually saying anything.

"What happened after the gunshots?"

"_JJ?" Hearing no response, Morgan repeated himself louder. "JJ?"_

_The small blonde tried to lift Parker off of her but he was now dead weight and her fresh injuries were beginning to burn through her petite body._

"_JJ?" He strained as he tried to see his colleague move._

"_I'm fine" JJ whispered as she struggled from underneath the UNSUB, catching her breath as her lungs eventually filled with air._

_Morgan stared at his friend as she unsuccessfully tried to compose herself. The trained agent kept her gun tight in her hand while searching Parker for a cell phone. Finding the object she desired the liaison dialled 911, telling the operator that there were officers down, she gave them Hotch's name to contact and requested medical assistance as well as the fire department to help get Morgan out of his frustrating trap._

_Not being able to stand straight, the former soccer athlete practically crawled to Morgan's side letting herself silently shed a tear as he grabbed her hand. "JJ it's going to be okay, we're getting out of here"_

"_God I thought..." JJ's sentence trailed off in a cough, as she thought of the alternative outcomes and a wave of nausea was controlled. She knew the fact they were both still alive wasn't because of skill or technique but because of sheer luck._

"_I know but they didn't, you stopped them" Morgan tried to grip her hand tighter as they stared at the two men lying in front of them, surrounded by their own blood._

_JJ mused distantly looking towards the exits. "Where the hell are those cops?"_

_Morgan's vision began to fade as the pain of being trapped under the debris took over. He could faintly hear JJ's attempts to coach him back to consciousness but it was no good, he just needed to go to another place where his legs weren't throbbing and he could move freely._

_JJ sat next to him until help arrived then she was ushered away into the back of ambulance only to be reunited with him thirty minutes later in a dull hospital room, her hand falling back onto his until he woke._

"_JJ?" Morgan's mind was foggy due to the painkillers as he could see JJ's outline sitting next to him._

_JJ squeezed his hand in comfort. "Hey how are you feeling?"_

"_What...?"_

"_You passed out" They both tried to smirk at the fact he was the one to faint. _

_The door opened, directing both of their attention to Prentiss and Reid looking at them both in concern. "Are you two okay, Hotch didn't give us much info?"_

"_Where is he?" JJ quizzically asked._

"_Talking to your doctors with Rossi that looks nasty" Prentiss pointed to the gash along Morgan's cheek._

_Morgan scrubbed his face groggily. "Erm, it's nothing. What... happened at the station?"_

"_What do you mean?" Prentiss asked innocently trying not to stare at their bruised and cut faces._

"_Evan Parker was one of the men that I shot. How did he get out of custody?" JJ looked between her two colleagues who were exchanging glances worryingly._

_Prentiss was the first to respond. "There was a screw up during transfer"_

"_A screw up? He could have got the both of us killed" Morgan coughed as he shifted in his bed._

"_But you two are okay right?"_

_JJ nodded at the brunette's query. "We'll be okay. The doctors said Morgan has a broken leg and half a dozen other broken bones and has a bad concussion. I have one too and I broke a couple of ribs and my arm also. My shoulder was dislocated but other than that and a few cuts and bruises... We'll be fine. How about you two?"_

"_What?"Prentiss asked quietly._

_Morgan expanded on JJ's question breathlessly. "You both seem on edge"_

"_It's nothing...we've got another missing girl" Prentiss tried to phrase the news delicately as Reid stood staring at his injured friends._

_Morgan and JJ spoke in unison. "What?"_

"_Patricia Cullen was reported missing about an hour ago, she matches the type. That's why it took us all so long to get here, Blanchett and his men are taking over in the field for a while"_

"_What about those cops who were posted at the factory?" Morgan looked to his three friends all looked somewhat guilty._

_JJ was the one to answer having intently listened to the police officer's radio while she escorted her to the hospital. "Two of them are dead, another is still missing"_

"_Damn" Morgan hissed under his breath tearing his eyes away from his colleagues._

_JJ shook her head as she stood with hesitance due to her injuries. "None of this makes sense. How did we not realise Parker had a partner? And who the hell screwed up during transfer?"_

_No words were exchanged for a few minutes at the presumed rhetoric questions until Prentiss began to shift uncomfortable on the spot. "We screwed up"_

"_What?" The two injured agents asked at the same time while Reid's head shot up towards the ambassador's daughter._

_Prentiss closed her eyes as her voice lowered. "We had to do it, it was the only way"_

Lauder's eyes widened at the Chicago born agent's recollection. "Agent Prentiss said that? What happened next?"

"We started arguing" Morgan stated bitterly shaking his head as he remembered the guilty face of his two colleagues.

"We?"

As Morgan scrubbed his face tiredly the psychologist could see the strain of the last week affecting the FBI agent. "Just the three of us; JJ, Prentiss and I. Reid stayed quiet"

"Why?" Lauder asked curiously while noting the hurt in the profiler's eyes.

"You'd have to ask him." The profiler spoke passively.

"So the three of you argued while Dr Reid stood quietly. How did things diffuse?"

Morgan knew the doctor was informed of what happened but still he answered the question. "Hotch and Rossi walked into the room when... JJ punched Prentiss"

...

_**And the shout out's for being fantastic and reviewing, go to; Flashpenguin, Dr NickiReid, HansonFanGermany, Stefi, cmfanbex, starryeyes12, hxchick, purplerays, EmmaBerlin and b-mystique... woohoo! **_


	6. Interrogation

_**Disclaimed!**_

_**I'm really loving how many people are reading and liking this, it's totally different from anything I've wrote before and I'm still enjoying writing it. There's a couple more chapter's to go, mostly the aftermath of this chapter. I'm pretty nervous with what you're all going to think about this chapter but I love hearing from you all so let me know what you think! **_

...

**Name**: Prentiss, Emily

**FBI Status**: Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 40

**FBI Work experience**: BAU profiler Quantico Field office (2006-present)/ Desk work Chicago Field Office (2001-2006)/ Linguist Detroit Field Office (1998-2001)/ Desk work St Louis Field Office (1995-1998)

...

Dr Lauder took a sip of his coffee, smirking at the profiler in front of him as she squirmed under his gaze. "So... why do you think Agent Jareau punched you?"

"We're just going to skip the niceties then?" Emily Prentiss wasn't in the mood for games right now and she wasn't going to hide that from the FBI appointed psychologist.

"I think we're past the niceties Agent Prentiss. We've been sitting here in silence for the last twenty five minutes, I just thought I'd get things started" Seeing the brunette roll her eyes the psychologist continued his questions. "I mean you and Agent Jareau are friends right? I've spoken to her yesterday and she seemed put together, not at all violent. So why do you think she hit you, her supposed friend?"

"You want to know why JJ punched me." Prentiss crossed her legs as she leaned back in her chair, letting her fingers tangle nervously.

"It's a valid question don't you think?"

Lauder watched her nod nearly missing Prentiss's whispered admission. "I deserved it"

"Did it hurt?" He asked bluntly trying to pull the agent out of the recoiled stance she submitted herself too.

"What?" Her eyes widened as she saw his less than coy smirk.

"Did it hurt when Agent Jareau gave you that?" Lauder pointed to the fading black eye as Emily unconsciously lifted her hand to her face.

"Well, it's only to be expected that JJ has one hell of a left punch to match her perfect aim" Lauder raised his eyes at her defensiveness. "You sound almost bitter"

"I'm not... God she has every right... it's just... I thought, I still believe that I was doing the right thing" Prentiss closed her eyes briefly whilst remembering the events of the week before.

"The right thing?" Lauder pressed needing to know what happened.

_Prentiss leaned against the wall in the small interrogation room in Terre Haute Police department. Reid sat opposite Evan Parker their number one suspect. The UNSUB was cleanly shaven, he wore casual clothes and seemed pretty normal until the point he cradled his head in his hands and began to yell at them both. "SHE SHOULD'VE STOPPED. SHE KNEW NOT TOO!"_

"_Who should have known what, Evan?" Reid wasn't usually so comfortable around people but Prentiss looked on in amazement as Reid placed his hands on top on the suspects to get the man to look at him._

"_She knew not too" Parker shook his head, his tears dampened his face._

_Prentiss coughed, standing up straight to ask the question. "Violet Marsden or someone else?"_

"_Vi. She should've stopped" Parker didn't bother to look at the brunette instead he kept his focus on Reid whose hands now lay flat on the table in front of him. _

_Prentiss took a seat next to her colleague to try and get in Parker's eye length but till he continued to stare at the young doctor. "You killed Violet Marsden because she should have stopped? Stopped what?"_

_Parker shook his head. "She knew not too..."_

_Reid interrupted him as Evan started to shake his head even more roughly. "She knew not to get pregnant?"_

"_I don't want kids Dr Reid... they'll end up like me" The suspect placed his head back in his hands shrinking his entire body into himself with the movement. _

_There was a few minutes silence before Prentiss spoke again. "Evan you killed Violet because she was pregnant with your child?"_

"_They would have hurt people"_

"_Like you hurt people" Prentiss queried as Reid gave her a worried glare. Reid pointed to the door and the pair of agents left the room, leaving Parker to talk to himself. "She should've stopped. She knew not too"_

_When they got outside the interrogation room, they found themselves alone looking through the glass to Parker rocking himself backwards and forewords as he continued to speak to no one but himself._

_Reid sighed as they both looked at the man in handcuffs sitting at the table. "Prentiss we're not going to get anywhere." _

"_I know. What do you want to do?" Prentiss nodded looking to her colleague for an answer_

_Reid shrugged running his hand through his long hair while there was a comfortable silence between the two agents. Reid sighed turning to face his brunette colleague with a determined face. "I think we should let him go"_

_Prentiss looked at him in shock, "What? Reid he confessed to murdering Gail Beck. He bashed his pregnant girlfriend's head in."_

"_I think someone might be coercing him and yes he confessed to killing Beck and Marsden but I don't think he killed the others. We could track him; let him lead us to the real killer. When someone who is schizophrenic commits a murder their usual victim is someone close to them like a family member. Like Violet was close to him not Gail Beck. Prentiss generally a person with a mental illness such as schizophrenia rarely commits murder. We're not going to understand his motives behind his violence towards Gail Beck but if we track him..."_

"_Hotch isn't going to go for it. It's too risky" The brunette tried to reason with Reid but he shook his head worrying the female profiler further. _

_Reid paused looking straight on to his colleague, knowing that his next words were going to sound unreasonable but he needed to say them. "We don't have to tell him"_

_Prentiss's hands began to sweat as she wondered why people kept asking her to be disloyal. Yet she was more than surprised that it was Reid asking to her to lie, she expected this conspiracy type behaviour from Strauss but not from the young doctor."Reid, we can't go behind Hotch's back like that"_

_Reid's gaze fell to the floor before looking towards Parker. "Emily come on, look at him. We're scaring him, if we let him go..."_

_Prentiss followed Reid's hand to the slouching figure sitting at the desk in the interrogation room before she tried to reason with the determined profiler. "Reid there is rules in place for a reason"_

"_Prentiss... Emily, he's schizophrenic, we're not going to get anything out of him. Please this man isn't a born killer. Just because he's schizophrenic doesn't mean it's predisposed"_

"_I know that Reid but he confessed to murder" The ambassador's daughter's stress levels were going through the roof as she fought to get Reid to understand her point of view._

"_Someone is manipulating him, if we let him go..."_

"_If we let him go he could hurt someone else" She calmly lowered the tone of her voice as she could see her colleague and friend becoming more and more anxious. _

"_Not if we intercept him before hand and besides we know where he would go" Reid stressed seeing Prentiss's eyes widen in wonder._

"_Where?"_

"_Violet Marsden's home, the factory crime scene, she is the she after all."_

_Prentiss tilted her head. "Reid I don't know"_

"_Emily, I know what it's like not be control of your own mind. Prentiss please can we just do this? I understand why Hotch wouldn't want us doing this but Emily, we're FBI agents too and we're following a lead, I don't want to let the actual killer get away because we didn't try every avenue. If Hotch gets mad I'll take the fall but please, can you just help me with this?" Reid moved closer to her, almost backing her into a corner she couldn't get out of. _

_The brunette bit her lower lip in nerves. "Reid, I'm not sure..."_

"_Prentiss, my mom is schizophrenic, I could end up that way too. He isn't in control of this. Someone else is involved. I'll talk to Parker. I'll get him to lead us to the dominant killer. This isn't his fault."_

_Prentiss jaw dropped at the fact Reid was using his personal life to get her to let their suspect go. "I want to help you but this is..."_

"_Then help me" he sighed._

_Reid took hold of her arm and the brunette could see the desperation in the young doctor's eyes. Taking a breath, the knot in her stomach tightened as she began to speak once more. "Talk to him, make sure you are completely certain this is the right thing to do. I have to talk to Parker's niece with Rossi in the bullpen at twelve. I'll be back in ten minutes. Have Garcia ready to track him electronically if we lose him. This could end very badly so we have to be ready for the fallout"_

_Reid nodded quickly, pushing a fallen lock of hair behind his ear. "He's not going to hurt anyone. We'll be following him at every step. Just trust me."_

...

Lauder shook his head whistling slightly through the pen lid that he was chewing on. "It sounds pretty reckless to me?"

"Yeah, well hindsight can be a bitch" Prentiss quipped while rolling her eyes at his statement.

"So what made you go along with Dr. Reid's plan? I mean you knew Parker's profile, he would have gone to find his partner you rightly thought he had, but did you know that Agents Jareau and Morgan were heading to..."

"We didn't realise Parker's partner would already be at the factory nor did we count on being distracted by the reports of another victim. When we were told Agent Jareau and Morgan were at the factory we tried to get hold of them but they didn't answer the call"

Parker looked down at her written report. "So although you didn't take into account the significance of the ramifications of your actions, you went along with everything because you believed you could contact your colleagues of an impending danger, even though you had let Parker go, what, twenty minutes before you called them?"

"I did think about the ramifications, and yes I thought we would get in touch with our colleagues before Parker got to the factory and tell them we thought he had a partner. Reid was certain Parker wasn't a voluntary killer and he was passionate about it and I agreed with him that he wasn't the dominant partner."

Lauder nodded briefly. "I can understand helping out a buddy but did you believe Dr Reid was right to be relying on his connection with the UNSUB to justify his actions?"

"Yes" Prentiss quickly answered.

Lauder raised his eyes in question. "Why?"

Prentiss paused for a minute whilst taking a deep breath. She rubbed her forehead tiredly before answering. "Because he usually is always right"

...

_**A/N - So at first I wasn't sure whether I liked this chapter or not, and it's been changed several times seeing as I wasn't sure whether or not it is in character. It mostly came from watching the episode when Prentiss gets called reckless and I'm not a huge fan of Reid (controversial I know) and find him very hard to write but I always liked him the best when he was snarky to Prentiss, during his addiction story arc so I used those episodes to help with this part of the fic. Let me know what you think!**_

_**Shout outs go too, (it's very important because you're all awesome, especially) drum roll please... flashpenguin, zzz-zzz84, EmmaBerlin, (), b-mystique, 68luvcarter, HansonFanGermany, midnightcoffee2000 and morgo7kc... yay and thanks for reviewing!**_


	7. Reid

**Disclaimed!**

**Sorry for the delay, I wrote the chapter after this one first, then went back to it, I find Reid really difficult to write and what I had wrote for this chapter was bad, so I wrote it again then rewrote it a third time just for good measure, then all hell broke loose at home and other fics became easier to write in the chaos. Hope people are still interested, there is three-ish chapters left, seeing as I keep changing my mind on how to finish it. Let me know what you think!**

**... **

**Name**: Reid, Spencer

**FBI Status**: Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 28

**FBI Work Experience**: BAU profiler Quantico Field Office (2004-present)

...

Lauder watched the tall, lanky, pale man as he investigated the academic certificates hanging on the wall. Other than a slim smile when the agent first entered the small room, they had no eye contact and now the psychologist feared their conversation would take the same turn as his morning session with Prentiss had, where silence dominated the conversation. "Why don't you take a seat Doctor Reid?"

Startled by Lauder's sudden and obvious need to start talking, Reid turned, eyeing the chair with some scepticism. Reid had a lifetime of experience with psychologists, hell he'd just finished his own bachelor degree in evolutionary psychology; he was taught by psychologists, he worked with profilers, his mother was cared for by psychiatry professionals and now he sat opposite an FBI issued psychologist, eager to probe his mind. "Three bachelor degrees in the psychiatry field, from University of Texas at Houston, Princeton, Georgetown and a doctorate in experimental psychology from Cambridge, that's rather impressive"

"Thank you. It's a huge compliment coming from you, how many degrees have you collected now?" Lauder tilted his head as Reid scanned the room vigilantly.

"I'm nearing my fifth." He shifted in his seat, trying to hide his awkwardness in the situation.

"You find education comforting and reliable. The thirst for knowledge never disappointing you? Never abandoning you?"

Reid looked towards the psychologist sceptically. "Are you telling or asking?"

"I'm not here to judge, attach a label or offend, Doctor." Lauder smiled softly wondering if the young genius would accept his words.

"Howard Becker was a prominent theorist in developing research on labelling theory. Yet clearly he stressed that labelling was a collective activity. His thesis in 1973 on..." Reid saw the flicker of emotion from the doctor that he was so familiar with after he began to sprout random information and decided to stop of his own accord before he was asked too.

Breaking the silence the Texan sighed. "I'm here to find out what happened last week"

"I understand that" Reid nodded

"So what happened?"

"_Pre disposition or free will?" Parker cocked his head up from where he sat, watching the young FBI agent pace the interrogation room._

_Reid turned seeing the suspect becoming more coherent. "Excuse me?" _

"_Do you think I choose to do what I do or is it unavoidable?" Parker's voice was meek and quizzical; he wanted to know what the agent, who tried to understand him, thought about his supposed illness._

"_Why don't you tell me?" Reid sat down opposite him, trying to remember all of the interrogation tactics he's seen his colleagues perform over the years._

_Parker thought for a second before answering. "Why are you letting me go?"_

"_Someone else is involved" It was a statement and it seemed to knock Parker's confidence _

"_Maybe there is?" Parker leaned back in his chair. For a moment it seemed like Parker wasn't so sure if anyone else was involved. Reid kept his gaze in the eye line of the suspect, needing to see if he could read anything off him but they just seemed dead and distant. _

"_Reid" Prentiss's head poked through door after disappearing twenty minutes ago._

_Reid stood and left the room with his brunette colleague looking even paler than what he thought possible. Prentiss turned him to face her after his gaze became focused on the man in handcuffs in the interrogation room. She sighed as her eyes widened, almost begging with the younger agent. "We should tell Hotch we're letting him go"_

_Reid nodded solemnly. "Look, I know I'm asking you to take a huge chance here Prentiss but after what happened last week..."_

_Prentiss interrupted before he could finish. The last year hadn't been easy for the BAU, for Reid especially. No one spoke of his addiction but he had been through some trying times lately and after a case had ended badly the prior week everyone was keeping an eye on him. "Hotch doesn't blame you for what happened last week Reid"_

"_He should. I was positive those kids were already dead, I mean the profile..."_

_Prentiss understood why he was trying to prove himself. Two dead kids and a dead UNSUB. Reid hadn't made the final decision, Hotch did after talking it through with every team member and the lead agent on the case in Baltimore but Reid had pushed for them to follow their profile and his guilt of what happened could be felt by everyone. "Reid those kids didn't stand a chance, we were right to go after Walden instead of concentrating on the kid's home life"_

"_Prentiss there's someone else involved here" Reid stressed once more, pleading with the older woman to put aside her fears. _

_Taking one last look at Parker, Prentiss nodded. "Hotch is talking to the DA, if we're doing this we do this now"_

"_Parker's ready, Garcia is online, we give him back his cell, and Garcia will track it. He won't hurt anybody" Reid almost sounded out of breath when he finished speaking but relaxed when Prentiss nodded again. "Okay"_

Lauder rubbed his forehead tiredly_. _"What I don't understand Dr Reid, is how you got Parker out of the precinct in the first place without anyone knowing"

"Prentiss was the lookout" Reid said it like it was obvious, granting him a smirk form the Texan psychologist. "And no one noticed you taking a suspect out of interrogation?"

Reid paused for a second before answering. "No"

_Prentiss and Reid sat in the rented SUV outside of Patricia Cullen's home. The call that they had another victim had come in fifteen minutes after they left Parker go. There was no way Parker was involved as she had gone missing during the time he was in custody which reaffirmed his idea that someone else was involved but as they sat in the black SUV, after speaking to the victims parents, both agents weren't feeling confident about their plan._

"_We should have insisted we were staying in the precinct" Prentiss began to chew her finger nails in nerves as they watched the police officers cordon off the garden gate._

"_Garcia's tracking him still" Reid tried to comfort but paused when he realised it was more for himself rather than for his friend._

_The sound of Prentiss's cell ringing brought him out of his daze. "Prentiss, yeah Hotch we're just leaving... What? Are they? Yeah okay, we'll be right there" She hung up the phone before switching on the engine hastily. "JJ and Morgan"_

"_What about them?" Reid asked in concern, his hand automatically found the safety handle above the door to steady himself after Prentiss nearly ran over the suburban mail boxes as she raced out of the small street. _

_Prentiss shrugged; worry was written all over her face. "I don't know. Parker maybe" Reid froze, his body became numb as possible scenarios started to race through his mind. He didn't remember getting out of the car at the hospital or walking into the hospital room. Even JJ yelling at them both didn't bring him out of his haze but the sound of the blondes fist colliding with Prentiss's face, scared the crap out of him._

Lauder scoffed slightly as he sat forward, the chair made a quiet squeak with the friction of the fabrics. "So it wasn't until Agent Jareau punched your colleague that you processed what happened?"

Reid looked up from the glass of water he had been string at since he began talking. "Not really. Agent Rossi was the one that got me talking again"

Lauder nodded in understanding the shock of seeing his colleagues injured must have been daunting. "It must have been awkward lying to your two senior agents. I mean Agent Hotchner and Agent Rossi didn't find out about everything until they got to the hospital room where Jareau punched Prentiss right?"

"No" Reid shook his head slowly not wanting to get anyone into trouble.

"No it wasn't awkward? Or no they didn't find out in the hospital?" Lauder pressed seeing reluctance in the young doctor's demeanour.

Reid sighed hesitantly. "Agent Rossi already knew we let Parker go"

Hopefully this chapter wasn't so bad. Again I'm really sorry for the delay but a huge thanks to; flashpenguin, morgo7kc, starryeyes12, zzz-zzz84, donttouch, stefi, Symphonie 2, Sue1313, b-mystique, EmmaBerlin, jimmy-barnes-13, jesslynnGSR and angry penguin... woah thanks for all your reviews and hi to everyone who is reading, you're all awesome!


	8. Mistakes

_**Disclaimed!**_

_**Hi to everyone still reading, reviewing and alerting I love hearing from you all and it's great to still see such a huge reaction! Hopefully this chapter doesn't seem too out of character, we all know this storyline would probably never happen on the show, but hopefully the characters are all sounding somewhat in character. (The flashback in this chapter starts not long after where the flashback in chapter three ends, just in-case anybody gets confused) As always let me know what you think!**_

**...**

**Name**: Rossi, David

**FBI Status**: Supervisory Special Agent

**Age**: 54

**FBI Work Experience**: BAU profiler Quantico Field Office(1981-2002 2008-present)/ Teaching Agent Quantico Field Office(2002)/ HRT DC Field Office (1978-1981)

...

Lauder paused as he walked into his office after dinner, the legendary profiler David Rossi sat in the dubbed 'patient' chair, flicking through an anglers magazine and sipping on strong smelling Starbucks coffee. Not bothering to look up from his reading material, they waited in silence as Lauder got his belongings together and sat down opposite the profiler, with his file in hand. "Other than a few sexual harassment complaints, your judgment hasn't really been questioned over the last twenty five years. That's rather impressive"

Placing the magazine on the floor, Rossi smirked and scrubbed his goatee and leaned back in the soft leather chair. "What can I say, I'm usually an angel"

"So what changed this time?" The doctor saw the experienced agent flinch at his accusation

Rossi took a sip of coffee. He'd caught the psychologist off guard by arriving early, but now he was being thrown into the deep end without aid. "I made a mistake"

"You did?"Lauder asked while mocking disbelief.

Snickering, Rossi placed his coffee next to the magazine on the floor. "Don't be too shocked doc, I'm human and I make a lot of them, ask any of my ex wives"

Nodding the Texan flicked through Rossi's statement before asking his next question. "So what mistakes did you make this time?"

Taking a deep breath Rossi shrugged his shoulders, and slouched down in his chair. "When I came out of retirement, Hotch told me there was no I in team. That we work as one"

Lauder raised his eyes at the profiler's statement, "a big shift from your early days in the BAU huh?"

"Yeah but I learned it worked, especially with this team." Shifting in his seat, Rossi paused for a moment letting his emotive hands rest on the side arms of the chair. "Prentiss came to me after I talked to the coroner and told me what she and Reid wanted to do but I told her that it was too risky"

"So you shot her down"

Rossi nodded, "yeah at first. Then we talked to Parker's niece and we went back over the profile together. Prentiss was right, we had nothing affirmative and we were getting nowhere with Parker"

"Then what happened?" Lauder pushed.

"Reid was getting Garcia to track Parker electronically and I rounded up a few locals" Rossi's hands moved in a circular motion as he talked, distracting the doctor's eyes towards them and away from Rossi's face. "What did you find in the profile that made you think it wasn't as much of a risk than you first thought?"

Scratching his temple the profiler closed his eyes briefly, trying to remember what had gone through his head the prior week. "The timeline of the victims were off. Michelle Granger went missing when Parker had an alibi, which, first lead us to believe he had a partner. His illness indicated he wouldn't be the dominant killer and at the time there weren't any new victims. As soon as he lawyered up we wouldn't be able to pin the other murders on Parker, not even after he confessed to Beck's death, and he had already served time for Violet Marsden's murder, so we couldn't charge him with that. Prentiss said she'd get in touch with Morgan and Reid had spent the most time with Parker, he got a through to him. They're both very competent agents. They didn't think Parker was controlling his actions and I agreed"

Lauder tilted his head. "So it was a case of trust?"

"Yes" Rossi agreed quickly.

The psychologist replied with a new question instantaneously. "Can you trust them now?"

Hastily he nodded. "Yes"

"Can the rest of your team trust each other now?" Lauder smirked as he pondered the question.

"Possibly, we're all grown-ups, it's not as though we're in kindergarten"

Chuckling Lauder leaned forward to shorten the space between them. "No you're not. But Reid didn't take Agent Morgan's crayons and Agent Prentiss didn't simply pull Agent Jareau's hair. Reid and Prentiss could have got your colleagues killed. With you not telling Agent Hotchner what was going on, you not only wasted time in getting help to your friends, you still lost a victim because Agent Jareau had to defend herself and her colleague by shooting the UNSUBs which lost your team the last link to Patricia Cullen"

Rossi became agitated at the seriousness of the discussion. "I know all of this"

"Why didn't you trust Agent Hotchner?" Lauder asked bluntly.

Rossi puffed out a large blast of air, shaking his head before explaining, "I did. I do trust Hotch, not telling him was my mistake"

Raising his eyes, the Texan sat back in his seat, eager for the profiler to explain. "How so?"

...

_Rossi stood with Hotch and the DA, looking at the profile picture of the victim in the basement of the factory, his head began to ache from the recent events. Hotch cleared his throat whilst shaking the hand of the DA, as he left for his own office, before turning to his old friend and mentor. "We should see if Parker can remember dumping Chloe Zacs body in the basement ten years ago"_

"_I told PD to take Parker to the hospital for medication he's becoming less coherent" Rossi spoke nonchalant. _

_Hotch's jaw locked and the crinkles appeared in his forehead that form when he's concerned. "You should have brought a doctor here, he's still our best suspect"_

"_Hotch, come on we're in no position to be babysitting a schizophrenic all day. He doesn't know anything."_

_Hotch interrupted sharply. "There's protocol Dave, we don't overstep the locals..."_

_Blanchett came over breathing heavily, handing the unit chief a picture of a young looking blonde girl. "Patricia Cullen, seventeen years old, was reported missing about fifteen minutes ago. Her parents have tried everywhere but have had no luck. She went out to walk her dog this morning around eleven. The dog was found barking at the garden gate but Miss Cullen had vanished. She matches his type, so I've sent a patrol over"_

_Hotch nodded. "Good I'll get JJ and Morgan to meet the officer's, Dave..."_

"_I know...I'll go see if I can get him back pronto" The detective left the two agents staring at each other. _

_Hotch got his cell from his belt but stopped as he saw Rossi hesitating to move from where he stood. "Dave, are you okay?"_

_Rossi looked up at the taller agent, nodding his head but scrunching his eyes as he began to speak. "Are you questioning my judgement Aaron?"_

"_No of course not, but with JJ and Morgan being icy towards each other and Prentiss and Reid have been on edge since last week I'm starting to worry that my entire team is being affected too much with this case" Hotch stared towards the older man in concern._

_Shaking off his hesitation Rossi smiled softly at his unit chief's worry. "Aaron don't worry about it. We're all a bit burnt out, but I seriously suggest a rest after this case okay? I'm going to go and get Parker back"_

"_Okay" Hotch nodded and Rossi turned to go and find his colleagues. Prentiss and Reid were whispering in the corner of the briefing room where they were keeping contact with Garcia._

"_Please tell me you still have a trail on Parker" Rossi walked in to the room in a brisk manner._

"_Sir I'm trying but the signal is weak" Rossi scoffed at himself while Garcia frantically typed. Looking towards his two colleagues both were beginning to pale more so than they usual._

_Reid was the first to speak after several minutes in silence went by. "What aren't you saying?"_

"_We have another victim" Rossi spoke quietly not being able to look at his two colleagues whose plan had failed. Garcia still typed quickly as Hotch barged into the room with his cell phone still attached to his ear. "Reid, Prentiss I need you to go to Patricia Cullen's home, JJ and Morgan aren't picking up"_

"_They're not picking up?" Garcia asked worryingly, stopping Hotch in his tracks. _

_Prentiss answered her first as Hotch pondered why the analyst was on the phone. "It's nothing PG, the factory has bad signal I was there earlier"_

"_What about Par..." Reid interrupted the technical analysts question before hanging up the phone. "It's okay Garcia we got it"_

_Hotch and Rossi watched the pair leave, the experienced profiler noticing the unit chiefs concern once more. "We should see how this fits into the geographical profile. Where's Parker?"_

"_Erm, I'm working on it" Both profilers looked at each other defiantly._

_Hotch sighed trying to keep his voice low rather than forceful. "What does that mean?"_

_Rossi scrubbed his face tiredly. "I think there's just been a bit of confusion"_

"_Get him back" Hotch cut him off sternly watching as Rossi hung his head slightly before leaving the room. _

_Rossi went to one of the landline phones dialling the officer's phone number that he had sent to follow their suspect, after twenty minutes of talking it became apparent that they had lost Parker. Calling Prentiss's cell to try and get an update, the not so strict Catholic prayed that he had made the right decision and had not got another person killed but as he listened to the dialling tone, the hand on his shoulder got his attention. "Dave, something's happened with JJ and Morgan" _

_Thirty minutes later Hotch and Rossi stood at the nurse's station with a female doctor. "How are Agents Jareau and Morgan?"_

_The woman sighed looking at the badges that were thrust in her face, before turning to the two medical charts in her hand. "Agent Morgan has a broken left leg and a severely bruised right knee. He has a sprained wrist and cuts and bruises on his torso and arms, other than monitoring his concussion overnight I see no reasons why he can't leave in the next 24-48 hours. Agent Jareau refused to be admitted even though I recommended it. Her right arm is going to need physical therapy, her shoulder was dislocated and it's broken in several places after a struggle, she has numerous fractures on her ribs and again has a concussion and defensive wounds. But seeing as there's no internal bleeding and she is completely coherent I'm a little less hesitant about letting her leave straight away as long as someone watches her for the next twelve hours and she takes the pain relief"_

"_Thank you doctor" Both the men shook the doctors hand before heading down the hall, the closer they got to the room the more concerned glances they exchanged as their colleagues arguing could be heard through the door. _

_Opening the door both of the two experienced profilers paused watching as the usually calm and professional media liaison left hook their brunette colleague. Seeing Prentiss try to regain her bearings as JJ started yelling at her again, the unit chief decided to intervene as the rest of his colleagues simply stood by in shock."WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE!"_

"_SHE JUST..." Hotch grabbed JJ by the waist firmly, before she could punch Prentiss again and dragged her out into the corridor._

"_She hit me!" Prentiss quivered after the blow disorientated her._

_Morgan hissed watching as Rossi went to her side. "Do you even understand what you've done?"_

"_Everyone calm down" Rossi glared towards Morgan before sitting Prentiss down in the green plastic chair and was insistent he should get some ice for her swelling face. Heading to the door he stopped suddenly as he saw JJ yelling at Hotch._

"_DID YOU KNOW?" The blonde accusingly stared at Hotch as he finally let go of her. Hotch took a step back seeing JJ was shaking as she tried to control her emotions. _

"_JJ you need to take a breath and tell me what's going on" Hotch looked straight into her eyes and spoke softly._

"_Did you know he had a partner? Did you know they let him go?" JJ's voice softened as she could see genuine confusion over the unit chief's face_

"_Let who..." Realisation hit him as Rossi's guilty face interrupted their conversation._

"_You knew?" JJ asked in disbelief_

_Rossi nodded as Hotch and JJ scoffed at his wordless admission. "He was on top of me Rossi... He kept touching me...He could have killed us both."_

"_JJ, I'm so sorry" Hotch spoke sincerely before he took the blonde's good shoulder and led her to the row of chairs then turned to the watching agent. "Dave... Go away"_

...

Rossi cleared his throat as he continued to explain. "They gave me this look. I've seen it before but usually I get an iron or frying pan thrown at my head after it"

"Was it disappointment?" Lauder asked curiously, ignoring Rossi's ex wife humour.

Rossi shook his head. "Disdain"

"Ahh" Lauder stood to get a glass of water, letting Rossi speak his mind without his eyes burning into him.

"I should have told Hotch what was planned but Reid was right, he would have shot it down, although he would have been right to do so" Rossi smirked in anticipation of the shrinks next question.

Lauder shrugged his shoulders before handing a glass of water to Rossi. "So why didn't you shoot it down?"

"It's what I would have done if I didn't have to consider other team members" The profiler admitted firmly.

"But you did have to consider other team members" Lauder stated and Rossi nodded regretfully.

"I made a mistake. When we heard Patricia Cullen was missing we got distracted. We shouldn't have, but it happens. I never thought JJ and Morgan would get in harms way, but these things can occur when you're in the field"

"Has that brought comfort to your colleagues?" It wasn't a question, they both knew it hadn't and now Rossi finally realised his team were running a very thin line.

...

_**Everyone who is reading/alerting and has reviewed is amazing! A huge special thanks go to; donttouch, HansonFanGermany, EmmaBerlin, b-mystique, PinkHimeLacus, morgo7kc, Evening Spirit, zzz-zzz84 and Sue1313 - Woo! **_


	9. Time for a group talk!

_**Disclaimed!**_

_**Hi to everyone who is still reading, this is the penultimate chapter, sad times! Let me know what you think.**_

_**...**_

Garcia was the only one trying to make conversation on the Friday morning that had come quickly for the small group of agents as they hovered outside the psychologist's office quietly.

"Hi everyone, he's ready for you now" Agent Maddox, Lauder's cheery assistant approached the team from the small office.

"Thank you" Hotch nodded towards the same woman who had told him Elle had not arrived at her evaluation all those years ago. The fact that his team had all shown up this time, was at least a small blessing. Morgan entered the room first, his expertise on the use of crutches, had skyrocketed in the last week. Lauder greeted each member as they took their seat in silence, unease filled room as they waited for someone to start speaking.

_..._

_Morgan heard the familiar footsteps approach him as he sat packing his go bag in the hospital room. Rossi stopped at the doorway, watching the younger agent struggle to gather his belongings. "You need any help?"_

"_Not from you" Morgan mumbled while dragging his bandaged leg off the bed and dangle in front of him._

_Rossi hesitantly stepped into the room, trying to start a conversation. "When do you get the cast?"_

"_When I get home" They both avoided eye contact as Rossi sat on the green plastic chair in the corner of the room._

"_Do you need a ride to the air field?" Rossi asked thoughtfully, although he knew his true intentions._

_Morgan reached for the crutch next to the side-table, automatically, his voice became strained through the demanding stretch. "Hotch is driving JJ and I home"_

"_Morgan..." Rossi reached for the younger and heavier man as he fell off the bed, when the crutch slipped from his hand._

_Morgan pushed him back, leaving both men sitting on the floor staring at each other. "Get off me man. Don't you get it, you can't just walk in here like nothing's wrong"_

"_I understand that you're..." Rossi spoke softly trying to help his colleague. _

_Morgan snapped back at him, interrupting him mid sentence. "Just leave me alone, I don't need your help"_

... "Who wants to start?" Dr Lauder sat at the centre of the semi circle of chairs amused at the blank gazes of the BAU team, all unwilling to be the first to speak. "Anyone?"

Prentiss and Garcia were the first to break eye contact, Hotch and JJ defiantly stared right at him while the others exchanged disconcerted glances. "Okay, so I think I've heard all of your views on what happened in Livingston and I have come to my own conclusions, but what is everyone else's opinion? Anyone?"

Lauder spent a few seconds staring at each of the members of the BAU separately; Garcia sat on the chair closest to the door twiddling her fingers nervously next to Morgan whose leg was resting in front of him with his crouches leaning on the back of his chair. He sat next to JJ, who was poised and calm as ever. On the other side of JJ was Hotch, blank and unresponsive as ever, then there was Rossi who sat smugly observing the rest of the room unlike Prentiss who concentrated on staring at the ground while Reid looked extremely uncomfortable. Lauder saw the young doctor shift in his seat, trying to almost put a barrier up against him and the rest of the room as he twisted his body awkwardly. The psychologist smirked. He had found his first target.

"Dr Reid?"

_**...**_

_Reid's head fell backwards onto the driver's headrest in the SUV as he waited for Prentiss to click her seatbelt into place. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly, looking at her bruising face._

"_I'll live, how are you doing?" Prentiss replied tiredly trying to hide her swollen face under her hand._

_Reid shrugged non committed to furthering the conversation, confirming his lack of enthusiasm as they drove in silence for fifteen minutes, until they neared the police department, Prentiss kept stealing glances sideways, watching as Reid kept his focus solely on the road in front of him. "We'll get through this Reid"_

"_They're angry" Reid muttered though he kept his eyes on the road and his hands firmly on the steering wheel in the ten and two position._

_Prentiss nodded keeping her voice calm and soft as she responded to his statement. "Of course they are"_

_Reid parked the car outside the station. Hotch had ordered them to go back to the police station to continue the search for Patricia Cullen but both of the profiler's minds were elsewhere. Seeing the young doctor wasn't moving from his seat, Prentiss nudged his arm, only to hear a small muttering. "He didn't have to die"_

"_Hmm, what did you say?" The brunette tilted her head, watching Reid's profile as he stared towards the grey building._

_Turning to face his colleague, Reid's voice grew in strength. "Parker didn't have to die" _

...

There was a beat of silence as the room's focus shifted to Reid as he repeated his whispered words. "Parker didn't have to die" The supposed genius of the group whispered again as he shook his head not daring to make eye contact with his colleagues. Morgan scoffed trying to sit up straighter than he was, but knocked over his crouches and in doing so, made the whole room turn towards him as he yelled."STOP BEING SO NIAVE KID"

"Morgan enough" Hotch practically barked at his subordinate making Lauder's eye raise to the dissatisfaction of the unit chief.

"NO HOTCH" The younger agent stopped yelling as his supervisor glared at him again silently demanding him to lower his voice. "He's acting as though Parker was some innocent victim in all of this..."

Prentiss interrupted Morgan's whining voice, trying to help out the younger man sitting next to her, as she placed her arm on top of Reid's in some kind of comfort. "Parker heard voices, he believed that in his twisted reality he was doing the right thing. Dissinger was the one who willingly killed Michelle Granger, Sasha Brunty, Gail Becks and Patricia Cullen. We just believed the dominant killer, Francis Dissinger, was our best link to getting Cullen's back, not Parker."

"Parker was a dangerous schizophrenic Prentiss. He bashed all the women's heads in. He killed Violet Marsden and Chloe Zacs. He JJ pinned to the floor, what was she supposed to do, let him attack her?" Morgan eyed the brunette as he spat his words at her in disbelief.

Prentiss shook her head solemnly. "Of course not I'm just saying we had more than one option in finding Patricia Cullen's until Dissinger was killed"

"Dissinger knocked me down, he had Morgan caught under debris, Parker was slamming my body into the concrete floor, what, exactly, would you have preferred me to do?" JJ scoffed dragging her eyes up to meet her brunette friends darkened eyes.

Rossi saw the cringe appear on Prentiss's face and decided to become part of the conversation, but regretted it the minute he saw JJ's jaw drop at his words. "We talked to Parker's niece JJ, she didn't believe he was a capable of controlling his actions, trust me I'm not using that as an excuse I've been doing this job long enough to not be that naive, but that girl was heartbroken when I told her that her uncle was killed. Prentiss and Reid are just trying to say that Parker wasn't necessarily evil, he was ill."

The room became still as Rossi's attempt of an explanation came to standstill, Morgan turned his head to look down at the media liaison next to him as she processed the experienced profiler's words calmly.

...

_Morgan snored loudly in the back of the silver SUV, with his leg resting up on the back seats. There was a thin drizzle of rain hitting the windscreen on the deserted road, in the middle of the night, when Hotch glanced to his left to see JJ staring right back at him wide awake._

"_How's your arm" He asked in concern, trying not to look down at the blue sling._

_JJ smirked before rubbing her neck, where the strain of her supporting the pain was forming. "No better than when you asked the last time"_

"_What's on your mind?" Hotch queried softly as he dragged his eyes back to the headlight lit road in front of him._

_JJ pursed her lips in thought before answering. "Patricia Cullen"_

_Sighing, the unit chief nodded at the name of their last victim, everyone felt deflated when she was found in a bush less than 5 miles away from her home, barely breathing only to be declared brain dead upon arrival at the hospital. "You had to shoot Parker and Dissinger JJ, you did the right thing"_

"_Maybe if I aimed lower" JJ mused quietly, the sound of Morgan's snoring increasing as they travelled along the long and boring interstate._

_Hotch responded immediately, keeping his voice low but firm "Don't do this to yourself, you did the right thing" _

"_So why do I feel so guilty?" The blonde asked failing to hide her emotions from the one person on the team who knew her the best. _

_He smirked softly. "Because you're human"_

...

Rolling her eyes, JJ began to respond as though she was trying hard to control her anger, "Rossi don't talk to me about notifying a relative, if you haven't noticed I tend to do the death notifications most of the time, and Hotch and I were there when Patricia Cullen's parents found out and they were devastated too, they lost their kid because of Parker's illness and Dissinger's sadism. Most of the times you guys go around so focused on the UNSUB..."

Reid directed his look to the blonde not meaning for his words to sound as harsh as they came out. "Because it's our job to think like the UNSUB, we're the profilers it's what we do"

"Thanks for clearing that up Spence but there's more to this job than the serial killers. More people are effected by those killings than just your precious UNSUB's." JJ took a deep breath as the face of the victims and their families flashed through her mind not bothering to hide her emotions from the rest of the room.

"None of you get it" Reid shrugged down his chair looking towards the door distantly.

Morgan glared at his younger colleague, "Kid I swear to god..."

"Stop calling me kid Morgan, I'm an FBI agent just like you" Reid stressed his last word.

"Then stop acting like a kid, you're all moany and 'misunderstood.' Parker played you and you messed up, that's what happened" Morgan's voice gradually became louder again as he berated his younger colleague.

Hotch's jaw set before he spoke. "That's enough. We're not going to get anywhere especially if we keep going on like this"

Lauder nodded after Hotch finished scolding. "I agree with Agent Hotchner everyone needs to calm down." The unit chief and psychologist shared a look of gratitude before the Texan continued with his questions. "Garcia you were the only one not in the field that day, do you have a different perspective from the rest of your colleagues? It's clear that there's a split consensus here."

"I just want us to be a team again" The red heads voice was soft and child like gaining her a small smile from each member of the unit.

...

_Dressed in green and pink and wearing her favourite yellow pumps, Garcia paced the waiting area next to the elevator on Monday morning, waiting for her colleagues to step out after their meeting with the section chief. Cynthia, Strauss's assistant, had called when the team left the board room three floors up. The entire unit in the bullpen inconspicuously watched, through the glass doors, as their technical analyst talked to herself while she walked backwards and forwards in distress._

_The doors pinged open and the six agents paused upon seeing the wide eyed, red head standing with open arms, trying to stop them all walking off in different directions._

"_Garcia, I have to get back to my office" Hotch glared at the flamboyant analyst. _

_Garcia stumbled with her words under his gaze. "Yes sir but..." _

"_Pen can we do this later?"JJ asked edging closer towards the direction of her office and away from the small gathering._

_Stubbornly, Garcia uncharacteristically stamped her high heel down on the tiled floor. "No kitten we can't. We all need to talk now because there's things going on around here that I'm not happy with and I think, personally that if we don't address this now then we'll ignore it and things will get worse cos come on we're not exactly the most talkative bunch of happy-happy agents lately are we? And..." _

"_Baby girl, the team is on stand down until further notice" Morgan interrupted softly seeing the disappointment on his friend's face _

_Garcia's eyes widened once more. "What? But the talk..."_

"_Everybody go home, you'll be called in when you're needed" Hotch ordered professionally._

"_Wait, guy's come on, we need to talk about this" Garcia watched as her team dispersed, avoiding each other's eye line and leaving Garcia in the silence of the empty waiting area. _

_**...**_

Hotch broke the silence first. "Garcia, I'm sorry but I don't think that's going to be possible"

There was a deafly silence before Garcia stumbled out her words. "Wha- but Hotch... we are a team"

"Hotch is right we're not a team. Not anymore" JJ turned her gaze to Hotch before facing one of closest and best friends regretfully after her dooming words.

Garcia shook her head defiantly, "JJ, I know you're upset but come on kitten..."

Hotch interrupted the usually bubbly Technical goddess trying to expand on his and JJ's earlier words. "A team needs trust; we need to be able to rely on one another no matter what..."

"So one mistake and that's it, no more BAU team?" Prentiss asked suppressing a laugh at the drama of the whole situation.

"Prentiss you willingly let a suspect go even though we had solid evidence he killed two people. Reid because you connected with an UNSUB you became reckless and went against everything this unit stands for not to mention your actions nearly got JJ and Morgan killed. Dave you lied to me, I told you there's protocol to follow and you took it on yourself to break it. You're supposed to be a seasoned agent and you allowed two subordinates to let our best suspect go. JJ, the most patient and calm member in the entire division punched Prentiss in the face and Morgan is still constantly snapping at everyone when he isn't trying to avoid us. Right now, this isn't a team."

Hotch scoffed after his berating but still continued due the guilty looks he saw in all of his colleagues faces. "As unit chief I have a responsibility to protect and take command, obviously I'm not doing my job right because this team is not capable of working together, not anymore and I have no idea how we could possibly continue"

Garcia sat forward in her seat meeting Hotch's eyes hopefully. "Because we love each other. We're a family. Family messes up sometimes but we learn and we forgive"

JJ smiled at her friend optimism but couldn't allow her false hope something she felt almost regretful for. "Pen, I know most of us have pretty dysfunctional families but none of us can even look at each other right now never mind work together as a team"

Garcia shrugged off JJ's scepticism defiantly. "These things take time"

Morgan took her hand in his. "Time is something we don't have any more baby girl. I mean that's why we're here right?"

Lauder nodded at the awaiting agents waiting an explanation for Morgan's question. There was a mixture of concern and expectation on all of their faces as he exhaled slowly, shutting the file in front of him. "Let's just talk some more shall we?"

...

_**A **__**HUGEMONGOUS**__** (**__**an urban dictionary word, fact**__**) thanks to; HansonFanGermany, donttouch, PinkHimeLacus, b-mystique, zzz-zzz84, Sue1313, stefi, deeda, jessalynnGSR and EmmaBerlin! I love hearing from all you fantastic reviewers about what you think!**_


	10. Endings: part one

_**Disclaimed!**_

_**I'm really sorry for such the long delay, this last chapter has been a pain and now I have to split it in two because it's too long, so I'll probably update either later on today or tomorrow!**_

_**I've written a few alternative endings and drafted this one several times and I'm still not sure whether or not it was the right decision but I've decided it'll have to do!**_

_**Thanks to everyone who has been reading, reviewing and alerting, you're all awesome. Let me know what you think.**_

...

_BAU Team evaluation 7-5-2011_

_After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the first team, led by SSA Aaron Hotchner, of the Behavioural Analyst Unit of Quantico, Virginia, should be terminated in effect immediately. The circumstances surrounding case 132H-22A-5F has caused an irretrievable rift of the team members in the unit which has made them inoperable together. This is not to say the individual's in the BAU team are ineffective as federal agents, those who should be credited have been mentioned earlier. It must be underlined that my opinion is only to taken under deliberation of those whom it concerns. _

_Dr U.K Lauder_

_..._

Hotch looked up from the last part of the official report to the psychologist and then towards Strauss, who was staring back at him intensely. "Agent Hotchner, I agree with Dr Lauder's assessment"

"You're breaking up my team?" Hotch nodded in acceptance, closing the file as Strauss continued to speak.

"I want Agent Morgan and Technical Analyst Garcia to stay with the BAU and head up a new team however I am transferring you and the rest of your colleagues" The section chief slid a folder filled with the team's new assignments over the desk towards the unit chief. "I'm sorry Aaron but I believe there needs to be a change in the BAU before it's ruined forever"

Nodding, Hotch stood from his chair before answering. "Yes Ma'am"

"I thought I would get more of a fight from you" Strauss pursed her lips, looking at the unit chief in wonder.

"I'm pretty sure arguing would do none of us any good now. Thank you for your time" Hotch stood and nodded politely before leaving the room with the file in his hand.

Stepping off the elevator, Hotch's head automatically turned to see if the media liaison's door was open or not, seeing it was closed he sighed, noting she wasn't in the mood to be disturbed. He held the glass door open for two agents that greeted him politely before walking through the bustling bullpen. Hotch made a mental note of where the rest of his colleagues were.

Rossi's office door was closed, probably with him in it. Garcia and Morgan were in the briefing room, laughing at something she had on her laptop while Prentiss stood in the kitchenette making her third or fourth cup of coffee of the morning. Reid sat in his swivel chair, intently reading through his stack of case files on his desk, ignoring the rest of the agents that fluttered around him.

Keeping the file in his hand, Hotch walked up to the briefing room, and frowned when the laughter suddenly ceased as they saw him. "Sir, we were, erm, just..."

Morgan chuckled before looking up to the unit chief as he shut the door behind him. "What's up Hotch?"

"I need to talk to you both. Can you please shut the door Garcia?" Hotch indicated the other door and waited until it was shut and she had taken her former seat.

"Hotch... did we do something wrong?" Garcia asked almost childlike

"No Penelope you didn't" Hotch smiled softly as he sat down opposite them. "I've just had a meeting with Strauss. She's breaking up the unit"

Garcia's jaw dropped, her surprise evident but Morgan just nodded in acceptance, the news he was ultimately expecting. "Those our new assignments"

Hotch looked down at the thick folder in his hand. "Yes. I'm going to talk to everyone individually but I didn't think you two would mind..."

They looked between each other, nodding in acceptance. "Go ahead" Morgan stated with a tint of sadness as Garcia's hand found his forearm.

"Strauss wants you both to stay on in the BAU" Hotch smirked when both of their eyes widened and their jaws dropped. "What?"

"Garcia is to stay in her current position but Morgan, you're getting the team" Hotch announced proudly before Morgan's face fell at the news.

"What about you and the rest of the team?" Morgan asked in concern.

Hotch smiled thinly as he stood. "The team and I have our assignments"

"It's not fair" Garcia stated as she watch Hotch walk slowly to the door.

Turning, the unit chief tilted his head as he watched the technical analyst tighten her grip on the profiler's arm. "But it's time. I'd appreciate it if you kept everything quiet until I've spoken to everyone else..."

Morgan answered first seeing his supervisor's uncomfortable stance. "Sure Hotch"

Leaving behind Morgan and Garcia sitting at the roundtable, Hotch took a breath before he knocked on Rossi's office door and entered.

Rossi's chuckle bounced off the empty walls, "Your meeting with Strauss went that well huh?" Hotch looked around Rossi's office, half of his personal belongings were already wrapped in bubble-wrap and the experienced profiler sat on his soft brown leather couch looking towards the unit chief from his newspaper.

"What's going on Dave?" Hotch saw that Rossi's expensive renaissance pictures that once hung on the wall had disappeared also.

"Bill Harmen gave me a call yesterday, told me he would email me his class schedule, for the next few weeks" Rossi watched as Hotch closed his eyes in confirmation.

Rossi smirked smugly "Bill has the right idea huh. Did you know he's opening a fishing shop in Hawaii with his wife? Can you imagine old Bill Harmen in shorts, never mind in retirement?"

Hotch shrugged before taking a seat opposite his mentor. "Dave..."

"Strauss is the one breaking the team up Hotch, not you" Rossi stated before he was interrupted. "I agree with her. I'm tired Dave, the team deserve..."

"The team don't deserve anything. You don't owe any of us. I screwed up Aaron, I'm sorry I went behind your back, but it's done. I don't want you to hate me, believe it or not Aaron you and this team are my family, just like Garcia said the other day. And she was right, we'll get passed this"

"I'm sure we will one day, but the team is still being dissolved. Morgan and Garcia are staying on but the rest of us..."

Rossi nodded as Hotch stood up. "Yeah, I never thought I'd be teaching again but I'll give it a go for a few months or so"

"Then what, another book?" The unit chief enquired politely.

Rossi chuckled hoarsely. "Maybe I'll work on wife number four"

"God help us all" Hotch muttered before leaving to shut himself in his own office, away from the rest of the unit for a few minutes. After a while of sitting staring at his cluttered desk he began to make a start packing away his own office.

...

Reid hovered at the door, watching as the unit chief packed some of his many law books into a box. "Erm, Hotch can we talk?"

Looking up from the box, Hotch continued to pack his books away. "Sure"

"I'm sorry" Reid spluttered as Hotch blankly stared at him as they stood facing each other. The clock on the wall seemed to be the predominant noise in the room while neither moved from the spot they were standing.

"I messed everything up" Reid admitted quietly trying to get a response from his supervisor

"Yeah you did" Hotch replied dryly before picking up the full box to place on top of another filled brown box.

Reid nodded grimly "I never wanted to hurt anyone"

"I know Reid. We should of... I should of never have put so much pressure on you. Your intelligence shouldn't define you. You've had to handle a lot over the years and it's not right" Hotch indicated that they both take a seat the profiler could see the young doctor was struggling with something as his eyes darted around the room. "What you did was stupid and reckless and Morgan and JJ could have been killed but inevitably, we have to move on"

After a few moments sat in silence Reid met the older man's tired eyes. "I nearly relapsed. I didn't but nearly..."

"When?" Hotch asked in concern

Inhaling deeply, Reid ran his hand through his thin long hair. "After the case in Baltimore a few weeks ago"

"But you didn't?" Hotch firmly pressed, needing an answer.

Reid shook his head in confirmation, rubbing his darkly shadowed eyes. "No but those kids died and..."

"It wasn't your fault Spencer" Seeing Reid wasn't accepting his well meant words, Hotch sighed quietly. "How's your mom?"

"She's..." Not managing to answer Hotch changed the conversation suddenly. "Strauss is taking you out of the field and into the criminal statistics research department in the DC field office. I suggest you take a sabbatical, clear your head. Try and catch up on the life you've missed out on, maybe travel and relax"

Reid cleared his throat sharply before giving a slanted thin smile. "I don't think I know how too"

Hotch nodded before standing once more. "You're smart enough, you'll figure it out"

"I'm sorry Hotch" Reid reiterated and Hotch nodded, "can you ask Prentiss to come up?"

"Sure" Reid answered quietly, looking back into the office through the blinds as Hotch continued to take books off the shelves.

...

_**I love hearing from you guys about what you think and in thanks I give shout out's to those most awesome enough to review. So THANK YOU to; donttouch, jimmy-barnes-13, HansonFanGermany, Sue1313, deeda, PinkHimeLacus, b-mystique, zzz-zzz84, Cosmic Castaway, tennlisa, stefi, angry penguin, EmmaBerlin and crazyobsession101 – phew... you're all amazing! **_


	11. Endings: part two

_**Disclaimed!**_

_**So this is it. The end. I loved writing this fic, it was totally different from anything I've ever wrote before but in all honesty, I'm so glad I've finished it, it was hard going for a while there!**_

_**Also - I'M SO SORRY! I know nobody wants to see the team separating, but unfortunately it is happening, Morgan and Garcia are staying on in the BAU, with Morgan as the team leader, Rossi is going to teach in the FBI Academy and Reid is going to a desk job, and for all you Reid lovers who are upset (I know there's a lot of you :P) I'm sorry, but he did let an UNSUB go and nearly got two of his colleagues killed. I know it doesn't seem like anyone is fighting the changes but it leaves me with a chance to write more, later on, about what the team has got up too. Only Prentiss and JJ are left, to find out where they're going and then it' over... sad times! **_

_**Sorry for the long intro but the response for this story has been amazing and so many people have reviewed, I love hearing from you all, and I like to address as many people as I can, so for one last time, let me know what you think :)**_

...

A few minutes later and Prentiss stood in the same place Reid had stood moments ago, watching in concern as Hotch packed away his office. "You wanted to see me?"

Hotch kept his face neutral while he nodded. "Take a seat"

Awkwardly swaying side to side, the deathly silence made the brunette even more uncomfortable than she would be if he was yelling at her. Taking a seat, Prentiss let out a long sigh while Hotch kept his gaze on her. "I remember sitting in here when you came back from that case in St Louis. I really thought you had signed off on me being in the team, I never even thought Strauss had something to do me being transferred here."

Hotch shrugged slightly as he leaned back in his leather chair. "That wasn't your fault, Strauss wanted me out and she saw an opportunity with you"

Prentiss's tried to control her leg as it began to shake with nerves before she spoke. "I would never betray you and this team in that way. Sir, I'm sorry, for everything that happened the other week and I need you to know that I appreciate everything you've said and done for me over..."

"Prentiss, they're transferring you to Tulsa" Hotch informed her of her new assignment dryly.

Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she processed. "Tulsa? As in Tulsa, Oklahoma?"

Hotch nodded at her surprised. "They need a linguist"

"In Tulsa?" Prentiss asked sceptically with a hint of sarcasm layering her voice.

"Yes Tulsa. You're an excellent profiler Prentiss. I'm sorry I wasn't so welcoming when you first joined but over your time here, you've been there for all of us at one time or another, I wish this wasn't how it was ending"

"I know I messed up... that we messed-up... I love working here. Are you sure there's no other way for us to all stay together?" Prentiss closed her eyes briefly when Hotch shook his head. "I'm sorry Prentiss, but a team needs trust and that's something we need to rebuild. Strauss has the final say anyway and she wants the team disbanded"

"We've changed Strauss's mind before" The profiler stressed but seeing Hotch's defeated gaze she cleared her throat before whispering, "I appreciate you allowing me to become part of the team" Prentiss stood, extending her hand formerly.

Hotch stood and accepted her hand, covering it with both of his warmly. "You'll always be part of this team Prentiss and I've always appreciated everything you've done to help me too. I hope you know that."

Emily nodded sighing as they both dropped their hands to their sides. "Sir, Hotch, we didn't mean to..."

"I know but the three of you did" Hotch interrupted tilting his head slightly.

The brunette nodded before stopping at the door. "I'm sorry"

"Me too" Hotch sighed as she left his office. He picked up the assignment folder and placed Prentiss's to the bottom of the pile behind Reid's. Only JJ hadn't been informed of her new position, but for now he had enough of separating his once close team.

...

JJ stared at the clock on the far wall in her office as the slow minute hand finally ticked. She was slouched down in her seat, ignoring the flashing light of the calls that were on hold on her office phone.

"Are you going to answer that?"Hotch stood at her door, looking at her quizzically.

JJ shook her head before smirking. "Don't tell my boss"

"Who are you avoiding?" Hotch asked as he took a seat opposite the blonde as she sighed heavily. "Don at Fox news heard about the accident so he's fishing for a comment"

"I'm sorry" Hotch mumbled as they continued to watch each other as they sat.

JJ smiled before standing to take the seat next to the tense profiler and placing her hand onto his forearm. "None of what happened is your fault Hotch, none of it. Even what you're about to tell me"

Hotch looked at her quizzically. "How did you..."

"You saved me for last Hotch, I'm not really sure whether that's a good thing or not" JJ smirked as he rolled his eyes. "Garcia?"

"No, Garcia can keep a secret for longer than ten minutes, Morgan's the worst gossiper out of the pair" They both chuckled before JJ pressed for more information. "So, what's the damage?"

"Portland" Hotch stated dryly as he watched JJ process the news.

JJ sat back in the seat and took a deep breath. "Never really saw myself in Oregon"

"It's a field agent's position" Hotch expanded quietly, knowing the Pennsylvanian wasn't going to take the new position too well.

JJ's jaw dropped before she asked with curiosity. "Not communications?"

"No" Hotch shook his head slowly as JJ returned to facing him sideways in her chair. "I'm being demoted?"

"No, you're being moulded to take over a team. They want you as a team leader in Search and Recovery when their chief steps down in a few months time"

JJ shook her head in frustration. "But I'm in communications. I like my job"

"Someone wants you in charge" Hotch smiled, proud at the fact after seven years in the BAU, JJ was being offered a leadership role.

JJ scoffed "Then they mustn't like me very much"

Hotch chuckled as the stubborn liaison stood and began to pace her tiny, dark office. "You're more than qualified JJ. You can run a whole division with your eyes closed"

She offered him a small smile in appreciation of the compliment before she sat back in her seat behind her desk. Again they sat in silence for a few seconds just staring at each other, silently communicating between each other to make sure they were both fine. "What about you?"

Hotch sighed, scrubbing his face tiredly. "They're offering me a choice of either early retirement or a CTU team in LA"

"You're leaning towards retirement, aren't you?" JJ rested her head on her hands, watching the profiler decide whether or not he felt comfortable enough to speak openly.

After quick consideration, Hotch nodded. "I would like to spend more time with Jack"

"Then do it, take their offer. If you wanna come back to work you would have a million openings, you've got enough experience in that many different fields" JJ spoke bluntly as Hotch lowered his gaze.

"I know what's out there" he spoke frankly, knowing that they've had the same conversation several times since Jack and Henry were born.

"There's always going to be something and someone out there Hotch, you know life isn't perfect, so you need to accept that and move on with your life. You deserve that much"

Hotch whispered, glad that JJ's phone had eventually stopped ringing. "What if I can't protect him?"

"You're his father he just needs to know you're there for him, we can't protect them forever." JJ smirked. "But, you are you. You won't let anything happen to that little boy for as long as you live and you know it"

Hotch leant back in his seat, watching JJ as she placed a fallen lock of hair behind her ear. "You seem very calm about what's going on"

"I can't control everything" JJ shrugged fiddling with one of the many pens without a lid on her desk, she tried to look away from his hazel eyes as they pierced into hers but his question dragged her eyes back to his.

"Is that my problem? I try to control everything?" Hotch asked, curious to what her response was going to be.

"What do you think?" Ever the media liaison, JJ smiled sweetly.

Hotch raised his eyes curiously. "When did you become the wise person on the team?"

"I always have been but I've just been subtle about it the whole time" JJ replied smugly, her smile still fixed in place.

"I'm going to miss working with you JJ. We've been through some difficult times together" The unit chief admitted truthfully, JJ had been the first agent he had brought to the BAU when he was acting SAC and he was grateful that she had stayed this long.

"Sure, bombings, shootings, kidnappings and every other crappy scenario you can possibly thing of... Wait, why the hell haven't we left before now?" JJ asked mockingly.

"We're work addicts" Hotch replied dryly before they both stood.

"No wonder neither of us can make a relationship work" The blonde quipped and pressed ignore on her cell as she received yet another phone call from the same reporter at Fox.

"You're okay?" Hotch tenderly asked while JJ walked around her desk to give him a professional one armed hug.

JJ nodded trying to hide the emotion from being told she was going to be transferred. "I'm pretending not to be pissed about everything"

"Well you're doing a great job" Hotch retorted as he left the small office.

JJ smiled solemnly while taking a look around her messy office reminiscently. "Thanks"

...

Hotch placed the frame holding Jack's first school photo into one of the four boxes of personal possessions, he had packed away over the course of the day. Sighing, Hotch looked around the room that had been his home for so long now before switching the desk lamp off.

The office door crept open slowly and the light from the bullpen created a halo around the darkened figure. "You know you had till the end of the week to clear out you're office?"

Hotch stood placing the last box on the ground next to the others. "I'd rather not prolong the inevitable"

Doctor Lauder nodded waiting for the profiler to face him before he responded. "How did your team take the news?"

"Professionally" Hotch retorted dryly.

The Texan cleared his throat. "I'm sorry it ended this way for your unit. You guys have done amazing things together and you've been an exemplary leader"

Hotch shook his head tiredly. "Tell that to Patricia Cullen"

"You sound like you're still mad?" The psychologist tilted his head, but stiffened as the unit chief stood straighter to face the shorter man.

"I'm not" Hotch's face remained neutral as Lauder pushed for a conversation. "Talking might help, Agent Hotchner"

Hotch sighed quietly, his jaw locked before he began to talk. "I'm sorry Doctor Lauder, but talking is overrated. I'll always cherish the time I've spent with this team, it's been amongst the best and worst time of my life here in the BAU, but it's ended now and I'd rather accept that I'm no longer SAC and move on with my life. For my son's sake"

Hotch's words were forceful and there was an increasing coolness filling the room until the eccentrically dressed Garcia entered the room without knocking. "Hotch are you ready... Oh hi Doctor Lauder, I didn't realise you were here"

Lauder smiled in reply. "That's okay Garcia, how are you?"

"No offence but I'm restraining myself from hacking into your finances and buying hundreds of pairs of Jimmy Choo's, in retaliation for transferring all my friends" Garcia stood with her hands on her hips, her expression was for once stern as Hotch smirked and the FBI shrink simply nodded. "I'm sorry you feel that way"

Garcia turned her attention to the profiler. "Hotch we're heading out now"

"I'm on my way" He nodded excusing the technical analyst from the room.

Lauder turned wordlessly to the door but paused as he saw the rest of the small BAU team gathered at the kitchenette, with their coats and bags, ready to leave for the night. "You and you're team are going out together? That's progress..."

Hotch shrugged, not really in the mood to divulge the teams after hour's activities to the psychologist who recommended that his team should be _terminated_. "Garcia's forcing the issue. No one wants the wrath of Penelope Garcia on their conscious"

"I'm figuring that out" Lauder smirked trying to hold Hotch's glare. "Well goodnight Agent Hotchner"

"Lauder" Hotch nodded and let out a held breath as Lauder left the bullpen without addressing the rest of his team. Looking over his team through the blinds, there was still a clear division between JJ and Morgan on one side and Rossi, Reid and Prentiss on the other, but the fussing of Garcia fluttering between the two groups brought a feeling of confidence and a small smile to his face. Right now they weren't a team, but if that crazy yet thoughtful woman had anything to do with it, they'd remain a family. For that, he was certain.

...

_**Hope the ending wasn't too disappointing, I know the team breaking up isn't a happy ideal but you never know what the muse may bring, in the form of a sequel. Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to read and review you've helped push me to write and it's been awesome to hear everyone's thoughts. Last (sad times!) of my shout out's go to; cm4ever, crazyobsession101, Sue1313, donttouch, b-mystique, EmmaBerlin, Symphonie 2, PinkHimeLacus, Cosmic Castaway, tennlisa, stefi and deeda **_

_**! You're all awesome!**_


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